In the run-up to the 2024 US presidential elections, Google parent company Alphabet is planning to restrict election-related queries in its Bard chatbot and search queries based on artificial intelligence.

• Google parent company Alphabet is restricting election-related search queries in its AI-based tools in the run-up to the 2024 US presidential elections.
• Meta bans the use of new AI solutions in political advertising and demands transparency from advertisers on platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.
• The European Union is introducing regulations for large technology companies, forcing them to be open about the funding and content of political advertising on online platforms.

The restrictions, which are due to come into force at the beginning of 2024, will not only affect elections in the USA, but also in countries such as South Africa and India.

Alphabet wants to focus on how artificial intelligence has impacted recent elections and emphasise a more responsible use of AI in politics.

Met bans the use of generative AI ad products in political campaigns

As it did in November, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has banned the use of new generative AI advertising solutions by advertisers in regulated industries and political campaigns.

Now that artificial intelligence and other digital technologies are being used to alter or create political and election-related ads, advertisers on Meta platforms like Facebook and Instagram need to be open about their use.

The change is part of a broader movement in digital advertising towards accountability and transparency.

The restrictions on political advertising were introduced by Musk’s X

In August, Elon Musk’s Social X platform changed its guidelines to allow politicians and political parties to run adverts in the US. This lifted the global ban on political advertising that had been in place since 2019.

X also intends to expand its election and security team with a view to the 2024 US elections.

Monitoring the impact of artificial intelligence on politics

Following global concerns about the regulation of artificial intelligence and the spread of disinformation, the European Union has introduced rules requiring large technology companies to clearly label political advertising on their platforms.

These new rules require the disclosure of funding sources, spending information and personalised election messages.

Such steps are key to ensuring fairness and transparency in the digital space, especially in the context of the upcoming major elections that various countries are preparing for.