Kishida: "Difficult to Verify Information Accuracy with AI... International Cooperation Needed to Prevent Misinformation"

Attendance at the 3rd Democracy Summit
Japan "Discussing Misinformation Response Technology through AI Strategy Council"

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida pointed out on the 20th that "the use of deepfakes generated by artificial intelligence (AI) and stolen voices has become possible, making it difficult to verify the authenticity of information, undermining political self-determination, and causing society to become unstable and divided." He emphasized the need for international cooperation to prevent fake news.

Prime Minister Kishida made these remarks during the second session of the "3rd Democracy Summit," held online on the theme of "Technology, Elections, and Fake News," stating, "Preventing the spread of false information is a common challenge for all countries and requires shared understanding and international cooperation."

He said, "The principles of democracy, such as free and fair elections, are being challenged in the online information space opened up by new technologies. As easy access to information via smartphones has become widespread, defamatory, insulting, discriminatory, and hateful remarks against others have also become easier," adding, "This undermines the healthy discussions and debates essential to democracy," and stressed, "We must respond more strongly."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Regarding elections, he criticized that "due to deepfakes and other factors, it has become difficult to verify the government's authenticity, political self-determination is being undermined, and as a result, society is becoming divided," urging that "free and fair elections are the foundation of democracy, so decisions must be guaranteed in an environment where free will and freedom of expression are protected."

Prime Minister Kishida introduced Japan's response, saying, "Japan is advancing technical discussions to counter false and misleading information through the AI Strategy Council to address these risks, and is examining comprehensive measures such as improving citizens' digital literacy."

He particularly mentioned the Hiroshima AI Process, launched with the goal of creating international norms related to generative AI at the Group of Seven (G7) summit held in Hiroshima in May last year, expressing hope that "this process will spread widely beyond the G7."