Germany's AfD Leverages AI for Election Campaign, Sparking Misinformation Concerns

February 21, 2025
Germany's AfD Leverages AI for Election Campaign, Sparking Misinformation Concerns
  • Prominent AfD politicians, including Chancellor candidate Alice Weidel, are disseminating numerous AI-generated materials that depict both an idyllic future with the AfD in power and a dystopian scenario if they lose.

  • As Germany approaches its Bundestag election on February 23, 2025, the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) is heavily leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance its campaign strategies.

  • A survey by the Bertelsmann Foundation reveals that 80% of Germans view online disinformation as a major societal issue, highlighting the urgent need for awareness and action.

  • Political scientist Marcus Bösch describes the AI-generated clips as 'nostalgia machines' that amplify emotional clichés tied to German history, showcasing historical aesthetics to resonate with voters.

  • User-generated AI content and pro-AfD influencers are actively participating on social media platforms, creating a widespread participatory propaganda effort.

  • Experts believe that Russian interference is strategically aligned with the AfD's anti-establishment agenda, particularly regarding policies on Ukraine and energy.

  • The party's messaging often combines attacks on migrants with a glorification of traditional German values, fostering a sense of unity among their supporters.

  • The AfD employs completely fabricated social media profiles, such as a non-existent influencer named Larissa, to promote its agenda and contribute to the spread of misinformation.

  • The disinformation efforts include fake news, deepfakes, and social media manipulations, with fabricated scandals targeting various political parties in Germany.

  • Key targets of this disinformation campaign are the Greens and CDU, indicating a strategic focus on discrediting these parties ahead of the elections.

  • Research links disinformation campaigns to Russian efforts aimed at discrediting established political parties while boosting the far-right AfD.

  • Over 80% of the population supports implementing a labeling requirement for AI content in political campaigns, with many considering the use of AI in politics as potentially dangerous.

Summary based on 4 sources


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