🔗 Share this article AI Chatbots Deliver ‘Misleading and Partial’ Voting Advice, States Dutch Watchdog AI chatbots have been shown to be “inaccurate and evidently prejudiced” when providing election recommendations, the Netherlands’ data watchdog has reported, raising alarms about a possible risk to democracy just over a week before the country’s general election. Testing Reveals Consistent Bias in AI Suggestions The four chatbots evaluated by the authority “often end up with the same two parties”, irrespective of the user’s question or command, the watchdog explained in a report released ahead of the 29 October election. For over 50% of instances, the chatbot suggested either the right-wing PVV of Geert Wilders or the leftwing GroenLinks-PvdA led by the ex-EU commissioner Frans Timmermans. Certain groups, such as the centre-right CDA, “are almost never mentioned”, despite the fact that the user’s input exactly matches the positions of these political entities, the study pointed out. Authority Figure Cautions Against Relying on AI Assistants for Voting Guidance The deputy head of the AP, Monique Verdier, commented that while chatbots may seem like clever tools, “as a voting aid, they consistently fail”. Voters were being pushed toward a party that might not correspond to their political views, she emphasized. “This immediately affects a cornerstone of democracy: the honesty of open and just votes,” Verdier stated. “We therefore warn against employing AI assistants for voting advice, as their functioning is opaque and hard to confirm.” Voting Background and Political Landscape Netherlands citizens vote on October 29 in an election that will be closely watched around Europe for the performance of the PVV. The far-right party of Geert Wilders is leading the polls but the lead over the GroenLinks-PvdA and CDA seems to be closing, with numerous electors still undecided. Every significant political faction have rejected a coalition with the Freedom party, meaning the runner-up party is most likely to supply the future head of government. Inadvertent Prejudice Attributed to AI Operation The authority emphasised that the bots were not deliberately biased, and that their “identified shortcomings” are a consequence of the way AI chatbots operate.