Promise and Peril: What Generative AI Means for Women’s Political Participation

  • Aaron Spitler

Looking back at this past year of elections, IRI’s Technology and Democracy (TechDem) Practice has identified early impacts which shed light on how generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) may shape democracies in the future. IRI has found that it presents both benefits and harms to political actors, especially those from groups that may be disadvantaged. In particular, the experiences of women in the public sphere provide unique insight into GenAI’s advantages and drawbacks. GenAI can provide a much-needed boost in capacity to women candidates running for office, addressing long-standing inequities in the process. At the same time, it could be exploited to churn out defamatory content designed to push female leaders out of public life. As GenAI continues to evolve, IRI and its partners in the democracy space must continue to grapple with GenAI’s impact on women’s political activities, all while taking action to ensure civic spaces remain open and inclusive.  

The Cons: Damaging Democracy 

The use of GenAI to produce deepfakes, or manipulated media designed to appear outwardly authentic, has significant implications for women’s engagement in politics. For example, malign actors can create synthetic content spreading provocative falsehoods which undercut female elected officials. As U.K.-based think tank Demos points out, attempts to debunk these claims can be ineffective, especially when deepfakes circulate within toxic information environments.  Controversial media tailormade for clickbait-driven algorithms can spread widely on digital platforms. This dynamic can extend deepfakes’ reach despite efforts to contain them, making online spaces less safe for women to participate in public life. 

Beyond upending the lives of targeted individuals, deepfake-driven harassment can disrupt democratic processes. In flooding online spaces with malicious media, bad actors may stymie emerging leaders entering the public spotlight. Women In International Security, a non-government organization dedicated to advancing women’s leadership in foreign policy, underlined how these groups could circulate explicit deepfakes to discredit female politicians. Other women who speak out against these campaigns may find themselves attacked by deepfake creators. Ultimately, women in government and their allies can face a chilling effect that limits their ability to mobilize. When women are silenced, the health of democracies suffers. 

The Pros: Empowering Leaders 

GenAI use against women in politics has not stopped many from adopting these tools themselves. Among those running for office, GenAI has proven to be an invaluable asset rather than a potential liability. A report from the University of Texas at Austin’s Center for Media Engagement highlighted how candidates, especially those who are lower-resourced, can leverage GenAI to connect with a larger swath of the electorate. This application of GenAI not only enables a candidate to amplify their messaging. It also allows them to articulate their vision for change in spite of capacity constraints. 

Closing the gap in terms of resource access is one way GenAI may help women in politics. In a blog, UN Women drew attention to how candidates for office often lack the basics needed to succeed. Without adequate equipment, sufficient staff, and financial assets, female candidates can fall behind their male counterparts. GenAI can be a boon to women leaders. For less-resourced campaigners, GenAI tools can easily (and inexpensively) create promotional content. In some cases, the quality of outputs rivals that of well-funded operations. When used creatively, GenAI can allow female candidates to get their message out when more traditional options are cost prohibitive. 

The Decision: Striking A Balance 

At this critical juncture, IRI, including the TechDem Practice and the Women’s Democracy Network (WDN), is taking action to ensure GenAI is a net positive for women leaders. It starts with building awareness of GenAI tools, as well as providing support so they can adopt these solutions into their work to level an often-uneven playing field. This also requires bolstering their defenses against attacks from those who exploit GenAI, bearing in mind the unique harms that women in politics can encounter. Through these efforts, IRI and its partners can help foster an enabling environment where women can safely and fully participate in politics. GenAI will continue to evolve, and IRI is committed to helping both rising and accomplished leaders stay one step ahead of the curve. 

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