AI's Impact on Trust, Deepfakes, and Future Governance | Mohamed Said [ ![Mohamed Said](https://cdn.msaied.com/01KT78WE565VEMM3PSNQAAB0MH.png) Mohamed Said Laravel Backend Engineer ](https://msaied.com) [ Home ](https://msaied.com) [ Projects ](https://msaied.com/projects) [ Articles ](https://msaied.com/articles) [ Certificates ](https://msaied.com/certificates) [ Contact ](https://msaied.com#contact-section) [ ](https://github.com/EG-Mohamed) [ Home ](https://msaied.com) [ Projects ](https://msaied.com/projects) [ Articles ](https://msaied.com/articles) [ Certificates ](https://msaied.com/certificates) [ Contact ](https://msaied.com#contact-section) [ home ](https://msaied.com) [ articles ](https://msaied.com/articles) The Last Election: AI's Impact on Trust and Governance On this page 1. [ The Erosion of Trust: Deepfakes and Disinformation ](#the-erosion-of-trust-deepfakes-and-disinformation) 2. [ The Shift Towards AI Governance ](#the-shift-towards-ai-governance) 3. [ The Unsettling Connection: Builders and Beneficiaries ](#the-unsettling-connection-builders-and-beneficiaries) 4. [ Takeaways for Developers ](#takeaways-for-developers) ![The Last Election: AI's Impact on Trust and Governance](https://cdn.msaied.com/150/0a43adf5024ef0d15b07a3eb4ce67885.png) #AI #Deepfakes #Governance #Ethics #Democracy #Technology The Last Election: AI's Impact on Trust and Governance ======================================================== 10 May 2026 4 min read ![Mohamed Said](https://cdn.msaied.com/01KT78WE565VEMM3PSNQAAB0MJ.jpg) Mohamed Said Table of contents 1. [ 01 The Erosion of Trust: Deepfakes and Disinformation ](#the-erosion-of-trust-deepfakes-and-disinformation) 2. [ 02 The Shift Towards AI Governance ](#the-shift-towards-ai-governance) 3. [ 03 The Unsettling Connection: Builders and Beneficiaries ](#the-unsettling-connection-builders-and-beneficiaries) 4. [ 04 Takeaways for Developers ](#takeaways-for-developers) The rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is fundamentally reshaping our world, not just in technological capabilities but also in societal structures, particularly concerning trust and governance. While developers often focus on the technical aspects of AI, understanding its broader implications, especially in areas like information integrity and political processes, is becoming increasingly crucial. The Erosion of Trust: Deepfakes and Disinformation -------------------------------------------------- The proliferation of AI-generated deepfakes has introduced a profound challenge to the concept of verifiable truth. Incidents like the deepfake showing an Irish presidential candidate withdrawing from a race in 2025, or the widespread misinformation during the 2024 UK general election, illustrate the immediate impact. What was once a clear distinction between authentic and fabricated content is now blurred. When a video of a public figure can be indistinguishable from reality, yet entirely manufactured, the very foundation of trust in media and public discourse crumbles. This isn't merely about individual instances of deception; it's about a systemic breakdown. The tools for deepfake creation are becoming universally accessible, making it impossible to definitively discern truth from fabrication. Detection tools constantly lag behind generation capabilities, and platforms struggle to remove harmful content before it spreads virally. This creates a pervasive sense of doubt, a "low hum" of uncertainty that undermines every piece of information consumed. Historically, democracies relied on the assumption that informed voters could make rational decisions. While propaganda has always existed, there was a baseline of verifiable reality. AI has eradicated that baseline, making it difficult to fact-check or prove truth, leading to a collective exhaustion among the populace. The Shift Towards AI Governance ------------------------------- Paradoxically, this erosion of trust in human-led systems is leading to a surprising preference for AI governance. Surveys indicate a significant portion of the population would rather have AI manage governmental affairs than politicians. This isn't necessarily an endorsement of AI's superiority but rather a reflection of deep disillusionment with human institutions perceived as corrupt, biased, and inefficient. The argument for AI governance often centers on its supposed objectivity, speed, and freedom from "cognitive biases, susceptibility to misinformation, and slow decision-making" that plague human-led democracy. This shift, if it materializes, would represent a quiet, yet profound, societal transformation. Instead of a dramatic singularity event, it could be a gradual surrender to algorithmic control, driven by collective fatigue and a desire for stability in an increasingly chaotic information environment. The Unsettling Connection: Builders and Beneficiaries ----------------------------------------------------- The most concerning aspect of this trend lies in the identity of the entities driving both the problem and the proposed solution. The very companies developing the AI tools responsible for generating deepfakes are often the same ones positioning themselves to "fix" governance through AI. For instance: - **OpenAI**, while acknowledging its models have been used to disrupt elections (rejecting over 250,000 deepfake requests in one US election alone), simultaneously secures multi-million dollar contracts with government entities like the Pentagon, offering its AI services for national security and public administration. - **Palantir**, a company whose CEO advocates for a reduction in human critical thinking, has secured significant military contracts (e.g., a $10 billion Army contract and Project Maven) and faces criticism for its surveillance technologies being linked to human rights concerns. Its governance model, described as "technofascist logic," suggests an expansion of state capacity through AI without corresponding civil constraints. - Other major AI players like **Anthropic** are also actively competing for classified defense contracts, further blurring the lines between commercial AI development and state power. This creates a disturbing cycle: AI companies develop powerful generative tools that destabilize information environments, leading to public distrust in democratic processes. Then, these same companies step in, offering their AI as the solution for governance, often backed by substantial military and government contracts. They lobby against accountability, limit their liability, and even suggest that traditional skills like coding are becoming obsolete, potentially reducing the public's ability to scrutinize their systems. Takeaways for Developers ------------------------ - **Ethical Responsibility:** Understand the broader societal impact of the AI tools you build. Consider potential misuse and its consequences. - **Transparency and Accountability:** Advocate for greater transparency in AI development and deployment, especially in critical sectors like governance. - **Critical Engagement:** Remain critical of narratives that propose AI as a panacea for complex societal problems, particularly when those narratives come from the very entities that profit from the problems. The future of governance and information integrity is deeply intertwined with AI. As developers, our role extends beyond technical implementation to include a critical understanding of these profound societal shifts. Source: [AI Weekly Issue #491: 100 years from now : The Last Election](https://aiweekly.co/issues/100-years-from-now-the-last-election) Found this useful? [ ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmsaied.com%2Farticles%2Fthe-last-election-ais-impact-on-trust-and-governance&text=The+Last+Election%3A+AI%27s+Impact+on+Trust+and+Governance) [ ](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmsaied.com%2Farticles%2Fthe-last-election-ais-impact-on-trust-and-governance) Frequently Asked Questions ---------------------------- 3 questions Q01 How are AI deepfakes impacting democratic processes? AI deepfakes are eroding public trust in information by making it difficult to distinguish between authentic and fabricated content. This leads to widespread misinformation, voter disillusionment, and a general distrust in traditional media and political discourse, potentially undermining the foundational assumptions of democracy. Q02 Why are people considering AI for governance over human politicians? People are increasingly considering AI for governance due to widespread fatigue and disillusionment with human politicians, who are perceived as biased, slow, and susceptible to misinformation. AI is seen by some as a potentially more objective, efficient, and consistent alternative, despite concerns about algorithmic control. Q03 What is the concerning connection between AI companies and governance? The concerning connection is that the same AI companies developing tools capable of generating deepfakes and contributing to information instability are also securing significant government and military contracts to provide AI solutions for governance. This creates a cycle where the creators of the problem are positioned as the sole providers of the solution, raising ethical and accountability questions. 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