AI in the 2025 Philippine Elections: A game-changer for campaigns and a tool for political warfare

As the Philippines gears up for the upcoming elections in May, artificial intelligence (AI) is set to play a defining role in shaping public perception, influencing voter behavior, and revolutionizing campaign strategies. While AI offers a powerful advantage for candidates to streamline operations, enhance voter engagement, and analyze public sentiment, it also presents a darker side — one that includes deepfake videos, misinformation, and AI-generated attacks aimed at discrediting political opponents. The country must brace for both the promise and the perils of AI-driven electioneering.

AI has already reshaped political campaigns globally, and the Philippines is no exception. The ability to process vast amounts of data in real time has enabled AI-driven strategies that personalize voter outreach, predict electoral trends, and optimize resource allocation. Political campaigns can now use AI to analyze social media activity, survey data, and online sentiment to craft highly targeted messages for different voter segments. AI algorithms can predict voter concerns based on location, demographic profile, and browsing habits, allowing candidates to tailor their speeches, ads, and social media engagement accordingly. In the United States, political campaigns have used AI-powered tools like Cambridge Analytica (notorious for its role in the 2016 elections) to influence voter preferences through microtargeting. In the Philippines, similar strategies have already been deployed since the last two national elections, turning our social media pages into a political battlefield.

AI-driven tools are also making voter engagement more efficient. Chatbots can respond to voter inquiries, simulate human-like conversations, and reinforce campaign messages around the clock. Generative AI tools can draft speeches, create slogans, and even produce campaign visuals at scale, reducing the time and effort required for traditional content creation. During the 2020 US elections, AI was widely used in social media outreach, with tools like Persuasion AI helping candidates tailor persuasive messaging for undecided voters. AI can also monitor public opinion in real time, scanning social media platforms, news articles, and forums for mentions of a candidate or campaign. If a controversy or negative sentiment spikes, AI-powered tools can provide instant analysis, helping campaign teams craft rapid responses to control the narrative. In India, political parties have used AI-based analytics to predict voter reactions and fine-tune their messaging before it goes live, ensuring minimal backlash.

While AI can enhance political campaigns, it is a double-edged sword. The same tools that optimize messaging and engagement can be weaponized to mislead, manipulate, and discredit political opponents. Deepfake videos — where a politician’s likeness and voice are manipulated to say or do things they never did — have already been used in elections in the United States and Europe. In the Philippines, where social media is a major battleground for political narratives, deepfakes can be used to fabricate scandalous remarks, false endorsements, or staged incidents. A notorious example was the 2020 US election, where deepfake technology was used to manipulate videos of both Joe Biden and Donald Trump, casting doubt on the authenticity of campaign messages.

AI-generated disinformation campaigns are another emerging threat. AI can mass-produce fake news articles, misleading images, and false narratives, which are then spread across social media to create confusion and sway public opinion. Automated bots can flood comment sections, amplifying false narratives while drowning out opposing views. In Brazil’s 2022 elections, AI-generated fake news campaigns spread on WhatsApp targeted voters with misleading information about candidates, influencing voter perception. The Philippines, with its high social media penetration, is at risk of similar tactics. While I have seen various AI videos bashing certain candidates on TikTok, I have yet to see fake ones discrediting a candidate during this election.

Another risk lies in the manipulation of search results and social media algorithms. AI-powered algorithms determine which news articles, videos, and posts appear in search results and recommendations. Political groups with the resources to exploit these algorithms can use AI to push favorable content while burying damaging news about their candidates. In past elections in India and the US, algorithmic manipulation has been used to promote partisan narratives, making it difficult for voters to access objective information.

The upcoming elections in the Philippines will likely see both the positive and negative applications of AI at play. With a digital-savvy population and a history of social media-driven campaigns, the country is particularly susceptible to AI-fueled election tactics. The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has yet to establish strict guidelines on the use of AI in campaigns, particularly in identifying and banning deepfake content. Fact-checking initiatives and partnerships with tech companies should be strengthened to detect AI-generated disinformation early.

Voters must also be educated on how AI can be used to deceive or manipulate political narratives. Public awareness campaigns can help Filipinos critically evaluate online content, especially during the election period. Political parties should be transparent about their use of AI in campaigns and commit to ethical AI-driven strategies. Independent watchdogs and cybersecurity experts should be engaged to monitor the use of AI in election propaganda.

AI is here to stay, and its role in elections will only grow stronger in the coming years. While it offers unprecedented opportunities to engage voters and streamline campaign efforts, its misuse can erode trust in democracy and fuel misinformation. Philippine politicians, regulators, and the public must work together to harness AI’s potential while safeguarding against its darker applications.

As May approaches, candidates who strategically and ethically leverage AI will have a competitive edge. However, the real test will be in ensuring that AI is used to inform and empower voters, rather than mislead and manipulate them. The challenge is clear: will AI elevate Philippine democracy, or will it be used to distort it? The answer depends on how we all act now, and the actions this year will serve as a springboard for the bigger 2028 presidential race.

Dr. Donald Lim is the founding president of the Global AI Council Philippines and the Blockchain Council of the Philippines, and the founding chair of the Cybersecurity Council, whose mission is to advocate the right use of emerging technologies to propel business organizations forward. He is currently the president and COO of DITO CME Holdings Corp.