DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Fact-checking organizations say the endorsement of synthetic content by high-ranking officials sets a dangerous precedent in a country already grappling with political disinformation.
Kiara Gorrospe, a reporter and training co-lead at fact-checking group VERA Files, stressed that the issue lies not in Artificial Intelligence (AI) itself but in its use as a tool for deception.
Vice President Sara Duterte on Monday has brushed off concerns surrounding a viral AI-generated video that defended her from impeachment calls.
According to Duterte, there was “nothing wrong” with using artificial intelligence for content showing support for a political figure.
“Wala namang problema sa pag-share ng AI video in support sa akin… if I were the media account owner, and gagawa ako ng AI to support a certain personality, walang problema doon kasi hindi ko naman siya ginagawang negosyo eh,” Duterte said.
Gorospe reacted to Duterte’s defense saying, “(I)f a public official intends to deceive or manipulate the public or the truth, then that’s definitely unacceptable. AI is only a means to that goal in this context. Not all AI is bad, but it’s used to disinform or misinform.”
From VERA Files’ monitoring, manipulated or AI-generated content often spikes around moments of political crisis like elections, natural disasters, and major legal proceedings.
Duterte’s impeachment, Gorrospe said, fits the pattern.
Gorrospe warned that when government officials publicly downplay the risks of AI-generated content, it weakens digital responsibility.
“When it comes to public officials, because they’re in such a position to really influence public opinion, if they say that AI doesn’t pose as much of an ethical issue, then people are going to listen, and that’s also going to affect how other users or civilians use and interact with AI. It minimizes the importance of having discussions around the ethicality and progress of AI.”
She emphasized that AI can easily reinforce confirmation bias, making it an effective tool for misinformation, as users tend to believe and share content that aligns with their pre-existing views.
In a time when public officials contribute to the spread of disinformation, Gorrospe said it’s more vital for independent media to assert the truth.
“When a lot of misinformation is encouraged by our very public figures, it matters to at the very least push back and provide the truthful narrative to the points that are being peddled by actors. In the age of AI, that really puts a challenge on fact-checking organizations and news media organizations to really learn and adapt.”
The video, which featured two students opposing her impeachment, was shared by Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa and had a watermark from Google’s AI tool Veo.
In his caption, Dela Rosa praised the supposed students for “understanding the situation” better than her critics, adding that it did not matter if the clip was AI-generated as long as the message was sound.(davaotoday.com)
