One in Four Israelis May Use AI to Decide Election Vote, Survey Finds

A special survey by the Israeli Internet Association reveals that one in four Israelis is considering using artificial intelligence tools to help decide who to vote for in upcoming elections. The poll, conducted by Geocartography among 1,005 representative Israelis, also found that 71% of the public has encountered "fake news" related to the election campaign. Additionally, 57% reported seeing fake or impersonating accounts online, and about half of respondents have encountered the use of AI to slander individuals.

Concerns about online political discourse are high, with approximately 70% of the public expressing significant worry that it will lead to increased online violence. The same percentage reported frequently or occasionally encountering false information during the election period, with only about 15% claiming to have seen none. The issue of online impersonation is also prevalent, with over half of those surveyed reporting encounters with fake accounts.

The survey highlights the offensive use of AI, as around 50% of respondents have occasionally encountered AI being used to harm or slander others. The Israeli Internet Association emphasized that these findings underscore how impersonation, disinformation, and malicious AI use are part of the online reality, with fears that these risks will intensify and feed each other during the election.

Disinformation appears to be crossing political lines, with roughly 73% of those identifying as right-wing, 70% of centrist, and 70% of left-wing respondents reporting exposure to it. The association recommends verifying information sources, cross-referencing data, and checking publication dates and context. They stressed that while AI can be a helpful tool for learning and comparison, its outputs are not objective recommendations and should not be relied upon blindly, as AI systems can err, use outdated or false information, and even fabricate details.

Dr. Shaked Davran Zivan, the association's coordinator for online literacy and safety, stated, "A free and fair election system depends not only on our ability to choose but also on our ability to make a decision based on reliable information. AI tools can help us understand the issues at hand and compare the positions of parties and candidates, but we must not rely on them blindly. It is important to check sources, cross-reference information, think critically, and ultimately form our own stance."