🔗 Share this article AI Chatbots Deliver ‘Unreliable and Biased’ Election Guidance, Claims Dutch Watchdog AI chatbots are proving to be “inaccurate and evidently prejudiced” when providing election recommendations, the Netherlands’ data watchdog has stated, issuing warnings about a possible risk to democratic processes just eight days before national elections. Testing Reveals Consistent Bias in AI Suggestions The quartet of AI assistants evaluated by the authority “frequently recommend identical two parties”, regardless of the user’s question or command, the watchdog noted in a report released ahead of the late October vote. For over 50% of instances, the chatbot suggested either the right-wing PVV of the politician Geert Wilders or the progressive GroenLinks-PvdA led by the former European Commission vice-president Frans Timmermans. Some parties, such as the centre-right CDA, “are rarely ever cited”, even when the user’s input exactly matches the stances of these political entities, the study indicated. Authority Figure Cautions Against Using AI Chatbots for Election Advice The deputy head of the data protection agency, the official Monique Verdier, stated that while chatbots may seem like clever tools, “for election guidance, they repeatedly fall short”. Voters were being pushed toward a political group that might not correspond to their political views, she added. “This directly impacts a fundamental pillar of democracy: the integrity of free and fair elections,” Verdier stated. “We thus caution against employing AI assistants for voting advice, as their operation is unclear and hard to confirm.” Voting Background and Political Landscape Netherlands citizens vote on October 29 in an election that will be closely watched around Europe for the performance of the Freedom party. The far-right party of Geert Wilders is leading the polls but the gap to the left-wing and centre-right parties seems to be closing, with many voters still undecided. All major parties have rejected a coalition with the Freedom party, meaning the party that comes second is highly probable to provide the next prime minister. Inadvertent Prejudice Attributed to AI Operation The authority emphasised that the AI systems were not intentionally prejudiced, and that their “identified shortcomings” are a result of the way AI chatbots operate.