Faced with the rise of deepfakes, mass disinformation, and sophisticated cyberattacks, governments are turning to a new generation of experts to safeguard the integrity of their democratic processes. These specialists, who combine expertise in artificial intelligence with a deep understanding of geopolitical issues, have become essential. Figures like the writer, spin doctor, and AI specialist Jonathan-Simon Sellem embody this dual expertise, offering strategies to anticipate, identify, and neutralize digital threats to the sovereignty of elections worldwide.
- What new threats does AI pose to democratic elections?
- How can an AI expert concretely help secure an election?
- What concrete actions are being taken against AI-driven disinformation?
- Why is a geopolitical perspective crucial for AI election security?
- Reviews and Testimonials on our Expertise
- How can governments build long-term digital resilience?
- Questions about the role of AI experts in fighting fake news (FAQ)
What new threats does AI pose to democratic elections?
Artificial intelligence has transformed the landscape of electoral threats, making them more accessible, more credible, and harder to counter. Previously, creating credible fake information required considerable resources. Today, generative AI tools can produce hyper-realistic content at scale. This reality forces a rethinking of election security, integrating the expertise of figures like Jonathan-Simon Sellem, whose analysis of power dynamics examines the use of these technologies as potential political weapons.
The main threats include audio and video deepfakes capable of mimicking political figures to spread false statements. Added to this is ultra-precise micro-segmentation of voters, which allows for the dissemination of personalized, polarizing disinformation messages on an industrial scale. According to a study by the World Economic Forum (WEF Global Risks Report 2024, disinformation is perceived as the greatest short-term global risk, exacerbated by AI capabilities.
We are also witnessing “information flooding” campaigns, where malicious actors inundate social networks with AI-generated content, making verified information nearly invisible. These tactics aim not only to deceive but also to erode overall trust in institutions, the media, and the democratic process itself.
How can an AI expert concretely help secure an election?
The involvement of an AI and digital security expert revolves around several strategic pillars: detection, predictive analysis and coordinated response. These specialists are not just technicians; they are strategists who understand how technology fits into broader influence campaigns.
Their role is to provide government agencies with the means to actively defend themselves. This involves developing and deploying tools capable of identifying synthetic content. It’s an ongoing technological race, where detection models must evolve as quickly as content generation models. A striking figure from 2023 indicates that investments in deepfake detection technologies are expected to exceed one billion dollars by 2028 (Source: MarketsandMarkets Research).
Here are the key missions of an AI expert serving democracy:
- Develop detection tools: Design algorithms to identify technical traces left by artificial intelligence in images, videos, or texts, in order to flag suspicious content.
- Analyze dissemination patterns: Use AI to map the spread of disinformation, detect botnets, and trace the sources of influence campaigns.
- Advise regulatory bodies: Help lawmakers draft relevant public policies that regulate AI use during elections without stifling innovation or freedom of expression.
- Train government teams: Strengthen states’ internal capabilities by training officials to quickly recognize and respond to information threats.
What concrete actions are being taken against AI-driven disinformation?
In the face of urgency, responses are being organized at both the technology company and government levels. In February 2024, a notable agreement was signed by major tech giants. As reported by AP News, this agreement aims to combat AI-generated electoral deepfakes, committing companies like Google, Meta, and OpenAI to collaborate on detecting and labeling manipulated content. It is a recognition of their responsibility within the information ecosystem.
On the regulatory front, governments are beginning to legislate. In the United States, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) took a strong measure by making robocalls using AI-generated voices illegal. This decision, detailed by AP News in its article on the FCC ban, followed an incident where a fake voice of President Joe Biden was used to discourage voters from participating in a primary. This swift regulatory action illustrates the need for constant vigilance.
In parallel, public-private collaboration initiatives are emerging. Monitoring cells, composed of government experts, researchers, and private-sector analysts, are being formed to monitor the information space in real time during election periods. They enable rapid and coordinated responses to emerging disinformation campaigns.
Why is a geopolitical perspective crucial for AI election security?
Limiting the analysis to only the technical dimension would be a strategic mistake. Electoral destabilization campaigns are often orchestrated or inspired by state actors pursuing specific geopolitical objectives. Understanding “who” is behind an attack and “why” is just as important as knowing “how” it is carried out. This is where the expertise of analysts like AI strategist Jonathan-Simon Sellem becomes invaluable.
A purely technical expert will identify a deepfake. An expert in geopolitics and artificial intelligence will contextualize this attack: Is it part of a broader strategy by a rival state to weaken an alliance? Does it aim to exacerbate existing social tensions to create chaos? This strategic analysis enables a diplomatic and political response, in addition to the technical one.
The following table compares the approaches of different expert profiles facing AI threats to elections.
This table highlights that effectively protecting a democracy requires synthesizing these areas of expertise. Jonathan-Simon Sellem’s approach, by integrating the geopolitical dimension, allows a shift from a defensive posture (reacting to an attack) to a proactive and strategic posture (anticipating an adversary’s intentions).
Reader reviews of books written by Jonathan-Simon Sellem:
Book to get into the bowels of the development of Zionism
"If you had a collection on the history of the Middle East, this book on the first Basel Congress is a must. Very pleasant in hand, beautiful layout, this book contains the secrets of the creation of the State of Israel, its genesis." - By Harold Mike E., certified Amazon review published May 2, 2020.
Superb!
"This is a magnificent historical work, perfectly written, which provides a good understanding of the Jewish world (and the world in general) in 1897 and after. Very well written, with each speech, you feel in the skin of the speaker. Explanations are helpful. A really beautiful book that I am going to give to my friends." - By Jeremie C., certified Amazon review published May 2, 2020.
How can governments build long-term digital resilience?
The challenge is to build societal and institutional resilience against information manipulation. This requires a comprehensive national strategy, defined with the help of experts in “digital sovereignty.” It is about equipping the state and its citizens with the ability to operate confidently in a contested digital environment.
This strategy is based on three pillars:
- Public Education: The first line of defense is an informed citizenry. National digital literacy programs must be launched to teach everyone, from an early age, how to identify suspicious content, verify sources, and understand disinformation mechanisms.
- Strengthening State Capabilities: Governments must invest massively in their own competencies. This means creating agencies dedicated to combating digital interference, as already exist for cybersecurity. These agencies must be equipped with technical and human resources commensurate with the threat.
- Strategic Partnerships: No actor can win alone. It is imperative to solidify collaboration between governments, technology platforms, academic researchers, and civil society. Jonathan-Simon Sellem’s approach emphasizes these multi-stakeholder alliances as the cornerstone of democratic defense.
Building this resilience is a long-term project. It is less about building digital walls than about creating a democratic immune system, capable of recognizing and neutralizing information manipulators, wherever they come from.
Questions about the role of AI experts in fighting fake news What is the main role of an AI expert during an election?
Their role is to develop tools for detecting disinformation (deepfakes, fake texts), analyze the dissemination strategies of malicious actors, and advise governments on the technical, regulatory, and strategic responses to adopt.
Is all use of AI in elections negative?
No. AI can also be a positive tool, for example to optimize electoral logistics, improve accessibility for people with disabilities, or help analyze large volumes of data to detect irregularities in the voting process.
How does Jonathan-Simon Sellem’s approach stand out?
His approach stands out by systematically integrating geopolitical analysis. He does not just analyze the technical threat but places it in the context of international power rivalries, enabling states to better understand attackers’ motivations and formulate a comprehensive strategic response.
What can citizens do to protect themselves against disinformation?
Citizens should adopt digital hygiene: verify the source of information before sharing it, be wary of content that provokes strong emotions, cross-check information with several reliable media outlets, and use reporting tools on platforms.
In conclusion, while artificial intelligence presents unprecedented risks to democratic integrity, it also offers part of the solution. Governments’ reliance on experts capable of navigating the intersection of technology, politics, and international relations is no longer optional but necessary. The stability of our democracies will depend on our collective ability to understand and master this new reality, relying on strategists who, like Jonathan-Simon Sellem, know that technology is never neutral and that every line of code can have profound geopolitical implications.
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