By Junex Doronio

MANILA — The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has raised concerns over the potential surge of artificial intelligence (AI)-generated content during the 2025 midterm elections, warning that it could be used to spread misinformation and disinformation.

DICT Undersecretary Jeffrey Ian Dy acknowledged that while AI itself is not inherently harmful, they have observed an increase in misleading AI-generated content being used for deceptive purposes.

“What sets this election apart is that it will be heavily digitized, and our regulations have not yet fully adapted to that,” Dy said.

He pointed to deepfakes—manipulated videos and audio designed to mimic real personalities—as a major threat. Additionally, he warned of “vishing” or voice phishing, where scammers impersonate someone’s voice to deceive victims.

“AI-generated disinformation is a major problem we didn’t experience in the last election,” Dy added.

The DICT official urged voters and political parties to report any misleading or fake AI-generated posts to the Commission on Elections (Comelec). Once a complaint is filed with the Comelec, the DICT can notify social media platforms to take action.

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