The world of politics is no stranger to innovation, but the recent move by Pakistan's PTI party to use artificial intelligence (AI) to clone the voice of imprisoned leader Imran Khan is truly groundbreaking. In a bid to keep Khan's influence alive despite his incarceration, the party used AI to deliver a four-minute speech in his voice, headlining a 'virtual rally' on social media.
The AI firm, ElevenLabs, created a 'voice clone' using existing speech samples from Khan. The team at PTI then developed a script which was transformed into an audio message, mimicking Khan's rhetorical style. The result was a compelling speech that, despite the occasional stilted phrase, was undeniably reminiscent of Khan's oratory.
The AI speech was part of a five-hour live-stream of PTI supporters' speeches on various social media platforms. The AI-generated audio was overlaid with historic footage of Khan and still images, creating a compelling narrative for listeners.
This innovative use of AI has allowed PTI to overcome the restrictions of Khan's imprisonment, keeping his voice and influence alive in the political sphere. Despite some criticism over the authenticity of the AI-generated speech, the virtual rally was viewed by over 4.5 million people, demonstrating the potential of this technology to reach vast audiences.
This pioneering use of AI in politics raises interesting questions about the future of political campaigning and the role of technology in overcoming state suppression. One thing is for sure: the world will be watching closely to see how this plays out in Pakistan's upcoming elections.
Made with TRUST_AI - see the Charter: https://www.modelprop.co.uk/trust-ai
Comments