AI from prison/ Veliaj follows Imran Khan's example. Where does communication end and manipulation begin?

Erion Veliaj seems to be trying to maintain his presence in Tirana's public life even from his cell, this time through a version of himself created with artificial intelligence.

The mayor, who is in custody awaiting trial on corruption charges, addressed citizens through a virtual video, declaring that he will continue to communicate with them as long as he is deprived of his liberty.

The case has also attracted the attention of foreign American media, which are treating this case in the context of the use of artificial intelligence in politics.

Veliaj's case has brought to mind the case of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, who in 2023, while in prison, used a video created with artificial intelligence to urge citizens to vote for his party.

However, beyond the similarity in the use of technology, the two cases raise a dilemma about what happens when politicians use artificial images to maintain their influence with the public, even when they cannot physically appear?

From the cell to the screen 
In the video published on social networks, Veliaj appears through an image generated by artificial intelligence and addresses the residents of Tirana, for the work done in schools and kindergartens after the earthquake, as well as promising free lunches for students.

At the end of the message, he declares that he will continue to work even from the cell where he is locked up. " No matter how much they want to keep me away from the city and away from you, Tirana is the honor of my life. To reward this honor, I will continue to work even from the cell where they have locked me up ," Veliaj says in his message.

He has made it clear that the video was created with artificial intelligence, justifying this choice with the inability to address citizens personally.

But, while Veliaj presents video as a way to keep communication with citizens alive, the chosen format shifts attention from the content of the message to the way it is constructed and conveyed.

 A virtual image can reproduce a person's face, voice, and gestures, but it does not replace physical presence nor does it change the legal situation in which he or she is.

Imran Khan, a precedent from Pakistan
Veliaj's use of artificial intelligence is not the first time a jailed politician has addressed the public through technology. In 2023, former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan used a video created with artificial intelligence to mobilize his supporters ahead of elections.

 In that case, technology was used to convey a political message while Khan was in prison. The case showed that physical limitations do not necessarily prevent a politician from continuing to communicate with his supporters, if he has access to digital tools and a network to distribute the message.

Even in Veliaj's case, artificial intelligence creates the possibility for him to appear before the public without being physically present. But the similarity between the two cases does not mean that the political and legal circumstances are the same.  

Where does communication end and manipulation begin?
The dilemma is not just that a politician uses artificial intelligence to speak to citizens. If the content is clearly identified as being generated by AI, the public can evaluate the message knowing that they are not watching an ordinary recording.

The problem arises when artificial imagery is used to create the impression of a presence that does not exist in reality, or when the technological form becomes a way to divert attention from the issues that require answers.

In Veliaj's case, this dilemma takes on another dimension due to his position as mayor of Tirana and the criminal process he is in. He continues to address citizens, talk about the affairs of the municipality and present promises for the future, while remaining in detention on corruption-related charges. 

Therefore, this method naturally raises questions about whether citizens are being informed through a new means of communication, or whether a virtual stage is being built that presents the politician as active and present, regardless of the circumstances. 

Thus, the Veliaj case and the Imran Khan precedent show that prison does not necessarily cut off political communication. But the technology that gives politicians the opportunity to appear virtually does not replace accountability nor does it change legal reality. S.Gj-Politiko.al