Imran Khan, Pakistan’s embattled former Prime Minister, delivered a rousing speech to his supporters from behind bars, using artificial intelligence (AI) to create a voice clone that has allowed the imprisoned politician to campaign for his party months before an expected general election.
Khan has been imprisoned since August after being convicted of corruption. He is also accused of leaking classified documents, which he has repeatedly denied and claims are intended to prevent him from running in national elections scheduled for February.
After Khan’s brief arrest in May sparked deadly riots, the country’s media regulator barred television stations from broadcasting his speeches.
Legal proceedings against Khan have been held behind closed doors. Since his arrest in August, no image of Khan in jail or in court has been released to the public.
His Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party held a seven-hour online rally on Sunday, during which it released a four-minute video in which AI technology was used to mimic Khan’s voice. The audio was overlaid with archive footage and photographs of the country’s former leader.
“My fellow Pakistanis, first, I would like to praise my social media team for this historic attempt,” said the artificial intelligence (AI) voice. “Perhaps you’re wondering how I’m doing in prison… My desire for genuine liberty is strong.”
“Our party is not permitted to hold public rallies,” the voice continued. Our people are being kidnapped, and families are being harassed.”
In the video, the AI voice impersonating Khan urged his supporters to vote in the upcoming general elections.
Khan swept to power in 2018 on an anti-corruption platform, a message that analysts say had become disenfranchised by the political dynasties and military establishments that had ruled Pakistan for much of its more than seven decades of existence.
Opposition lawmakers charged Khan, four years into his term, of driving the nation to the verge of economic collapse. In April 2022, a parliamentary no-confidence vote resulted in his removal from office.
Tens of thousands of people attended nationwide demonstrations against Khan’s removal for months afterward. The former cricket captain became one of the most well-liked leaders in Pakistan history as a result of the demonstrations, which became a regular feature of the country’s unstable political landscape and paved the way for nearly a year of occasionally violent protests.
Khan’s virtual rally on Sunday was watched live by tens of thousands of people on various social media platforms and received over 1.4 million views on YouTube.
During the PTI’s virtual rally on Sunday, social media platforms in Pakistan were blocked for roughly seven hours, according to NetBlocks, an internet watchdog that keeps an eye on cybersecurity.
Politicians who claim to be fighting state repression have used AI technology, and the AI audio recording is one example of how they have done so.
Khan continues to be the PTI’s face even though he is incarcerated and no longer serves as the party’s leader.
Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me?