🔗 Share this article AI Chatbots Deliver ‘Unreliable and Biased’ Voting Advice, Claims Dutch Watchdog AI assistants are proving to be “inaccurate and evidently prejudiced” when offering voting advice, the Netherlands’ data watchdog has stated, raising alarms about a potential threat to democracy just eight days before national elections. Study Shows Consistent Bias in Chatbot Recommendations The four chatbots tested by the AP “often end up with the same two parties”, irrespective of the voter’s inquiry or input, the watchdog explained in a analysis published ahead of the late October vote. For over 50% of instances, the AI recommended either the right-wing PVV of Geert Wilders or the progressive GroenLinks-PvdA headed by the former European Commission vice-president Frans Timmermans. Certain groups, such as the centre-right CDA, “are almost never mentioned”, even when the voter’s query exactly matches the positions of these parties, the report pointed out. Official Warns 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 political group that did not necessarily align with their political views, she added. “This directly impacts a cornerstone of democracy: the integrity of free and fair elections,” Verdier stated. “We thus caution against employing AI assistants for voting advice, as their functioning is opaque and difficult to verify.” Voting Background and Party Dynamics Netherlands citizens vote on 29 October in an election that will be closely watched around Europe for the showing of the PVV. The far-right party of Wilders is leading the polls but the lead over the GroenLinks-PvdA and CDA appears to be narrowing, with numerous electors still undecided. All major parties have ruled out an alliance with the PVV, meaning the party that comes second is highly probable to provide the next prime minister. Unintentional Bias Attributed to AI Operation The AP stressed that the bots were not deliberately biased, and that their “noted flaws” are a consequence of the manner in which AI assistants function.