The World Economic Forum (WEF) has said the surge in AI-driven misinformation and disinformation is the primary short-term threat to the global economy, particularly in its potential impact on crucial upcoming elections, the media has reported. In a notably gloomy evaluation, the organisation hosting its annual meeting in Davos next week, voiced apprehension about the potential disruption of politics due to the proliferation of false information. This could result in scenarios such as riots, strikes, and government-led crackdowns on dissent, says a report by The Guardian.

It should be noted that elections are taking place this year in countries that represent 60 per cent of global GDP, including India, Britain, the US and the EU and the WEF said the nexus between falsified information and societal unrest will take centre stage at the time of campaigns. According to the WEF’s yearly risks report, the report added, based on the insights of 1,400 experts, 30 per cent of respondents perceive a high risk of a global catastrophe in the next two years. Additionally, two-thirds express concerns about a disastrous event occurring within the coming decade.

“An unstable global order characterised by polarising narratives and insecurity, the worsening impacts of extreme weather and economic uncertainty are causing accelerating risks – including misinformation and disinformation – to propagate,” Saadia Zahidi, a managing director of the WEF, was quoted as saying by The Guardian.

The report, created in collaboration with Zurich Insurance and professional services firm Marsh McLennan, assesses risks over both a two-year and a 10-year timeframe.

The World Economic Forum highlighted that apprehensions about the enduring cost of living crisis, coupled with the interconnected risks of disinformation and polarized societies, were the predominant factors shaping the outlook for 2024.

Misinformation refers to information that is false or inaccurate, whereas disinformation involves intentionally false content created to propagate propaganda and instill fear and suspicion.