Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan has declared that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not an enemy of democracy in Nigeria.

Amupitan made the statement on Monday while speaking at The Beyond The Ballot Summit in Abuja.He noted that AI tools are already widely used by election management bodies around the world to handle large voter registries, refine logistics and planning, streamline data analysis, and improve administrative efficiency.

“Artificial Intelligence, AI, is not an enemy of democracy,” Amupitan said. “Within election management bodies worldwide, machinery process assists in duplicating large voters registries, refining logistics, planning, streamlining data analysis, and improving administrative efficiency.”However, he also cautioned about the risks.

He pointed out that the rapid democratisation of generative AI models has made it much easier and cheaper for malicious actors to create high-quality deepfakes, including voice cloning of public figures and hyper-realistic videos of election officials making false announcements.

These tools, he warned, target specific vulnerabilities in the electoral process.Amupitan had recently announced plans to integrate AI into Nigeria’s electoral system ahead of the 2027 general elections.