🔗 Share this article Artificial Intelligence Assistants Deliver ‘Misleading and Partial’ Voting Advice, Claims Netherlands Regulator AI chatbots have been shown to be “unreliable and clearly biased” when providing election recommendations, the Netherlands’ data watchdog has stated, issuing warnings about a potential threat to democratic processes just eight days before national elections. Study Shows Repeated Partiality in Chatbot Recommendations The quartet of AI assistants tested by the authority “frequently recommend identical two parties”, irrespective of the voter’s inquiry or input, the watchdog noted in a analysis released ahead of the 29 October election. For over 50% of instances, the chatbot suggested either the far-right Freedom party (PVV) of Geert Wilders or the leftwing GroenLinks-PvdA led by the former European Commission vice-president Frans Timmermans. Some parties, such as the moderate CDA, “are almost never mentioned”, even when the user’s input exactly matches the positions of these political entities, the report indicated. Authority Figure Cautions Against Relying on AI Assistants for Voting Guidance The deputy head of the data protection agency, Monique Verdier, stated that while AI assistants appear to be smart resources, “for election guidance, they repeatedly fall short”. Voters were being pushed toward a party that did not necessarily align with their ideological beliefs, she added. “This directly impacts a cornerstone of democracy: the honesty of open and just votes,” Verdier stated. “We thus caution against using AI chatbots for voting advice, as their operation is unclear and hard to confirm.” Election Context and Political Landscape The Dutch head to the polls on October 29 in an election that will be closely watched across the continent for the performance of the Freedom party. The right-leaning group of Geert Wilders is ahead in surveys but the gap to the left-wing and centre-right parties seems to be closing, with many voters yet to make up their minds. Every significant political faction have rejected a coalition with the PVV, implying the party that comes second is highly probable to provide the next prime minister. Inadvertent Prejudice Linked to Chatbot Functioning The authority emphasised that the bots were not deliberately biased, and that their “identified shortcomings” are a consequence of the way AI chatbots operate.