Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a double-edged sword: in the wrong hands, it can threaten democracy, spreading misinformation, manipulating voter’s perceptions and undermining trust. But used responsibly, it can transform elections—making them more transparent, inclusive, efficient and trustworthy. How we decide to wield this powerful tool will shape the future of our democratic processes, because it is ubiquitous and here to stay.

To celebrate International Democracy Day 2025, the East and Horn of Africa Election Observers Network (E-HORN) organised a webinar to expose AI’s risks, reveal its opportunities in elections, and develop recommendations for its responsible use, including:

1. Training election stakeholders to use AI responsibly.
2. Leveraging AI tools to enhance analysis, outreach, and reporting, while avoiding over-reliance.
3. Developing strategies to detect misinformation and bias introduced by AI.
4. Ensuring human oversight for critical decision-making, as technology cannot replace human judgment, especially in sensitive electoral processes.
5. Communicating transparently whenever AI is used in public-facing processes.