ALGORITHMIC MANIPULATION AND ELECTORAL INTEGRITY: ASSESSING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IMPACTS ON VOTERS IN PAKISTAN

Adnan Skhawat Ali; Yuasa Harumichi; Terada Mayu

doi:10.14456/apsr.2026.7

Authors

Adnan Skhawat ALI Meiji University, Tokyo
Yuasa HARUMICHI Meiji University, Tokyo
Terada MAYU Hitotsubashi University, Tokyo

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14456/apsr.2026.7

Keywords:

Artificial Intelligence, Electoral Manipulation, Deepfakes, Digital Literacy, Voter Behavior

Abstract

This article examines the profound influence of artificial intelligence (AI) on voter behavior and electoral integrity within developing democracies, focusing specifically on Pakistan. Addressing a critical gap in political communication research, the study investigates how AI-driven technologies—including deepfakes, algorithmic microtargeting, and automated misinformation—systematically manipulate public opinion. Utilizing a qualitative methodology, the research analyzes 38 in-depth, semi-structured interviews conducted across Pakistan's four provinces with diverse stakeholders, encompassing voters, politicians, and election officials. The empirical findings show that AI significantly alters political perceptions, with 84.2 percent of participants highly susceptible to treating AI-generated fake media as authentic political content. Furthermore, the study identifies that asymmetric digital literacy and the conspicuous absence of comprehensive regulatory frameworks profoundly exacerbate the effectiveness of algorithmic manipulation. Ultimately, this research argues that unregulated AI deployment fundamentally compromises democratic processes, highlighting an urgent necessity for transparent governance structures, rigorous media literacy initiatives, and robust legal frameworks to safeguard electoral integrity across Asian democracies. The results strongly suggest that immediate institutional interventions are required to counter modern computational propaganda.

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