Gobind Says Government Is Open to a Task Force on AI Misuse During Elections
Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo says the government is open to setting up a task force to tackle the misuse of artificial intelligence during elections, including the spread of deceptive content, The Star reported. He told the Dewan Rakyat on October 29 that he would bring the proposal forward, following concerns about the impact AI misuse could have on state and general elections.
The idea came from Datuk Idris Ahmad (PN-Bagan Serai), who asked in a supplementary question whether the government planned such a task force, citing manipulated images that could mislead the public and cause harm. Gobind said he had no objection and was open to sound suggestions, but that the Election Commission should also consider the right approach. The ministry could provide a framework and develop secure platforms, he said, while policy matters would have to be discussed with the EC.
What it means in practice
Gobind also gave more detail on the AI Governance Bill. It will cover AI risk management, accountability among those who develop and use AI, and mechanisms for reporting and managing incidents. Responsibility would depend on a party’s role, its level of control and the risks of an AI system across its life cycle. When an incident is reported, the relevant agency would examine what went wrong and decide how to deal with it, and developers, providers and users would carry duties to prevent and mitigate harm and to take corrective action.
He said AI posed increasingly complex risks that cut across ministries and sectors, which is why AI Malaysia Bhd was set up to bring experts together to advise the government on existing structures and how to upgrade them. The bill is expected to be tabled in Parliament early next year, a timeline Gobind had already signalled to the Dewan Rakyat, and AI Malaysia has listed the bill and a safety institute among its priorities.
An election task force would address a narrower but pressing risk. Manipulated images and audio can spread within hours of a campaign event, and it is not yet clear which body would lead on verifying and removing such content during a campaign, or how quickly it could act.
What to watch next is whether the proposal reaches the cabinet, what role the EC agrees to take, and whether the governance bill includes specific provisions on synthetic political content before the next state elections.