AI-generated political videos surge before Singapore 2025 election
Researchers detected a surge in AI-generated videos featuring Singapore politicians posted to TikTok between April 15-19, 2025, ahead of the May 3 general election. Of 73 such videos identified, 11 contained digitally manipulated visuals of prospective candidates, potentially violating new legislation banning deepfakes that misrepresent what candidates say or do.
What happened
Between April 15 and April 19, 2025, researchers detected 73 AI-generated videos posted on TikTok related to Singapore's May 3 general election, compared to 64 such videos in the entire month from March 14 to April 14.
Of the 73 videos, 11 contained digitally generated or manipulated visuals of prospective candidates. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong featured in seven of the 11 potentially problematic videos. The most widely circulated video, posted April 15 by the TikTok account @sparkupdate, featured an AI-generated portrait of Wong with a text-to-speech voiceover in Thai and received more than 70,000 plays and 3,700 reactions.
Some videos depicted politicians in unlikely costumes such as football uniforms, imperial court robes or a Wonder Woman outfit. Other videos featured senior minister Lee Hsien Loong and cabinet ministers Chee Hong Tat, Desmond Lee, Edwin Tong, Gan Kim Yong and Heng Swee Keat, as well as opposition politicians.
Reported impact
The surge in AI-generated political videos occurred despite new legislation banning digitally generated or manipulated content that misrepresents what candidates say or do. GE2025 was the first election in which this legislation was in place.
Governance controls
From April 15 to Nomination Day on April 23, the ban covered prospective candidates who had paid their election deposits and given the Elections Department consent to make their candidature public. After nomination proceedings closed, the ban covered all candidates through the remainder of the election period.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.