In light of prominent discourse around the negative implications of generative AI, an emerging area of research is investigating the current and estimated impacts of AI-generated propaganda on African citizens participating in elections. Throughout Africa, there have already been suspected cases of AI-generated propaganda influencing electoral outcomes or precipitating coups in countries like Nigeria, Burkina Faso, and Gabon, underscoring the need for comprehensive research in this domain. This paper aims to highlight the risks associated with the spread of generative AI-driven disinformation within Africa while concurrently examining the roles of government, civil society, academia, and the general public in the responsible development, practical use, and robust governance of AI. To understand how African governments might effectively counteract the impact of AI-generated propaganda, this paper presents case studies illustrating the current usage of generative AI for election-related propaganda in Africa. Subsequently, this paper discusses efforts by fact-checking organisations to mitigate the negative impacts of disinformation, explores the potential for new initiatives to actively engage citizens in literacy efforts to combat disinformation spread, and advocates for increased governmental regulatory measures. Overall, this research seeks to increase comprehension of the potential ramifications of AI-generated propaganda on democratic processes within Africa and propose actionable strategies for stakeholders to address these multifaceted challenges.

翻译：鉴于围绕生成式人工智能负面影响的显著讨论，一个新兴研究领域正在调查AI生成的宣传对参与选举的非洲公民当前及预期的影响。在非洲各地，已有疑似AI生成的宣传影响选举结果或引发政变的案例，例如尼日利亚、布基纳法索和加蓬等国，这凸显了在该领域开展全面研究的必要性。本文旨在强调生成式AI驱动的虚假信息在非洲传播的相关风险，同时探讨政府、公民社会、学术界和公众在AI负责任发展、实际应用及有效治理中的角色。为理解非洲政府如何有效应对AI生成宣传的影响，本文通过案例研究阐释了生成式AI在非洲选举相关宣传中的当前使用情况。随后，本文讨论了事实核查机构为减轻虚假信息负面影响所做的努力，探索了通过新举措积极引导公民参与信息素养教育以对抗虚假信息传播的潜力，并倡导加强政府监管措施。总体而言，本研究旨在增进对AI生成宣传可能给非洲民主进程带来影响的理解，并为利益相关方应对这些多层面挑战提出可操作的策略。