How Deepfakes and AI-Generated Content Are Shaping the 2025 Delhi Elections?

As the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections approach, the political battleground has transcended traditional campaign methods, delving deep into the realm of technology. Amidst poll promises, fiery speeches, and strategic social media campaigns, political parties like the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have embraced deepfake technology to sway voters and criticize opponents. While the creative use of technology can bring humor and engagement, the increasing reliance on manipulated content has sparked concerns about misinformation, ethics, and the integrity of democratic processes.

The Rise of Deepfakes in Political Campaigning:

Deepfake technology—powered by artificial intelligence—has the ability to create hyper-realistic yet entirely fabricated content. From morphing faces to altering audio, the technology blurs the lines between reality and fiction, making it a potent tool for political narratives.

BJP’s Deepfake Strategies:

During the 2024 Maharashtra elections, BJP utilized deepfake audio clips to target opposition parties like Congress and NCP-SP. For the 2025 Delhi elections, the party leveraged scenes from the popular web series Panchayat, altering the original dialogue to criticize AAP’s policies. In one such video, characters from the show are made to call out alleged irregularities in AAP’s Mahila Samman scheme and the Sanjeevani Yojana, dubbing Arvind Kejriwal as the “maha thug” (great thug).

Although the clip was labeled as a “spoof,” it contained heavily manipulated audio and video, as confirmed by AI detection tools like TrueMedia and Contrails.AI. These tools found substantial evidence of audio manipulation, raising questions about the ethical implications of such content, especially when it carries the potential to mislead.

AAP’s Response with AI-Generated Content:

Not one to stay behind, the AAP countered BJP’s tactics by creating its own deepfake video from Panchayat. This altered clip portrays the same characters praising Delhi’s governance, including initiatives like free water, world-class education, and free healthcare. While the video’s visuals were deemed unaltered, AI tools flagged the audio as fake, pointing out manipulations that made the dialogue align with AAP’s narrative.

In another instance, AAP’s Seelampur wing shared an AI-edited clip of Bollywood actor Pankaj Tripathi criticizing the BJP. Investigations revealed that the original video was an awareness campaign against UPI scams, manipulated to serve a political agenda.

The Ethical Dilemma: Entertainment or Misinformation?

Deepfakes have undeniably added a new layer of creativity to political campaigns, but they also carry significant risks:

1. Misleading Voters: Even when labeled as spoofs, deepfakes can be interpreted as real by unsuspecting audiences, influencing public perception and voting decisions.
2. Erosion of Trust: The frequent use of manipulated content undermines trust in political messaging, making it harder for voters to distinguish between genuine and fabricated information.
3. Amplification of Propaganda: With social media serving as the primary distribution channel, deepfakes can rapidly amplify propaganda, reaching millions before fact-checkers can debunk them.
4. Legal and Ethical Implications: The absence of clear regulations surrounding deepfake usage in campaigns leaves room for ethical violations and misuse.

The Role of AI Detection Tools:

AI detection tools like TrueMedia and Contrails.AI have become essential in identifying manipulated content. For instance:

• TrueMedia flagged BJP’s Panchayat-based video for audio manipulation, detecting suspicious language patterns.
• Contrails.AI analyzed AAP’s video, revealing high confidence in audio alterations while confirming unaltered visuals.

Such tools play a crucial role in exposing the truth behind viral content, but they are not foolproof. The constant evolution of deepfake technology poses challenges for detection systems, requiring continuous advancements in AI capabilities.

The Need for Media Literacy:

In an age where misinformation spreads faster than ever, media literacy is no longer a luxury but a necessity. Voters must be equipped to critically evaluate content and recognize potential signs of manipulation. Some steps to combat the influence of deepfakes include:

1. Educating the Public: Campaigns to raise awareness about deepfake technology and its potential for misuse.
2. Promoting Fact-Checking: Encouraging voters to verify information through trusted sources before sharing or believing it.
3. Developing Regulations: Implementing legal frameworks to govern the use of deepfake technology in political campaigns.
4. Encouraging Ethical Campaigning: Political parties must adopt ethical guidelines to prevent the misuse of AI and technology in their campaigns.

A Double-Edged Sword:

The use of deepfake technology in the 2025 Delhi elections underscores its double-edged nature. On one hand, it offers creative and engaging ways to connect with voters; on the other, it risks undermining the very foundations of democracy by spreading misinformation and polarizing public opinion.

As political parties continue to explore the potential of AI in their campaigns, it becomes imperative to strike a balance between innovation and ethics. Voters, too, have a role to play in safeguarding democratic values by remaining vigilant, informed, and skeptical of sensationalist content.

Conclusion:

The 2025 Delhi Assembly elections have highlighted the growing influence of technology in politics, with deepfakes emerging as both a tool and a challenge. While they add dynamism to campaigns, their misuse can have far-reaching consequences, eroding trust and misleading voters. As the elections unfold, the responsibility lies with political parties, tech companies, and citizens to ensure that technology is used to strengthen democracy rather than weaken it. Only through collective efforts can we navigate the complexities of this new digital era with integrity and transparency.