Electoral Integrity in the age of synthetic content

How can institutional design protect our democracies?

A launch event for a new white paper and to drive the conversation forward

The year 2024 wasn’t just an election year—it was a global milestone. Approximately 3.7 billion people were eligible to vote in at least 64 countries. Amid this historic moment, artificial intelligence has introduced synthetic content—deepfakes, manipulated audio, and AI-generated text—posing unprecedented challenges to electoral integrity.

While early evidence suggests that elections in 2024 were not severely disrupted by synthetic content, the risks remain deeply troubling. The speed, scale, and sophistication of AI-generated content expose emerging harm vectors that could undermine public trust, drive societal division, and destabilise electoral processes if left unaddressed. To safeguard democracy, we must act now to design robust institutional responses.

With this in mind, The Institutional Architecture Lab (TIAL) is hosting a vital conversation on the role of institutional design in protecting democracy from these growing threats.

Join us for the launch of a new paper, Safeguarding Elections in the Age of Synthetic Content: A Framework for Electoral Integrity Institutions, co-authored by Aleš Čáp, a UCL PhD researcher, and Sir Geoff Mulgan, Professor at UCL. The paper proposes a comprehensive six-step framework for designing a new type of Electoral Integrity Institution—one that is equipped to counter the risks posed by synthetic content such as deepfakes and AI-driven misinformation. This framework offers actionable strategies for detecting, assessing, and responding to synthetic threats while upholding transparency, accountability, and democratic values.

The event will feature a presentation of the paper, followed by a panel discussion with leading experts from politics, media, law, and technology. Together, we’ll explore:

• How prepared are existing institutions to tackle the challenges of synthetic content?
• What institutional reforms or new frameworks are necessary to protect electoral integrity in the age of Generative AI?
• How can we balance speed, authority, and democratic accountability when addressing synthetic threats?
• What should be the critical design principles for institutions seeking to counter synthetic content threats?
• How can institutions be designed to keep pace with fast-evolving threats like synthetic content?

Who should join?

This event is designed for professionals working in government, media, civil society, and technology organizations, as well as anyone passionate about exploring how institutional innovation can safeguard electoral systems from the evolving threats posed by deepfakes and AI-driven disinformation.

When and Where?

• Wed, Jan 29, at 2pm GMT
• Online (Zoom link to follow)