«Thank you Matilde. Tomorrow, a leap forward for Futuro Nazionale in the polls. Siracusano’s controversy is sterile and baseless, because you can’t see anything in the photo, it’s not vulgar, it’s not outrageous or even disorganized and no one would have noticed if she hadn’t highlighted the matter herself to gain publicity. Futuro Nazionale did the advertising! Now I’m going to the seaside, the electoral campaign for Futuro Nazionale is done by the others. At the next dinner we will toast Matilde.” MEP Roberto Vannacci, leader of Futuro Nazionale, wrote this on Facebook, sharing, in a “card”, some headlines from today’s newspapers on the story of the photo of Siracusano modified with AI. «Thank you “lady Occhiuto” – we read – tomorrow National Future +1.5%».
In fact, the “case” of the photomontage, with an image of the undersecretary Matilde Siracusano retouched with Artificial Intelligence and relaunched by Roberto Vannacci, continues to spark political discussion. And now comes Forza Italia’s proposal for a stop to manipulations produced with AI, also in view of the electoral campaign for the 2027 political elections. The idea was launched by the undersecretary to the Presidency of the Council Alberto Barachini, who is also responsible for Communications of the “azzurri”. “After the very serious episode of the publication of a photo of the Siracusan undersecretary modified with AI by General Vannacci to discredit the image of the government representative, I launch an appeal to the majority and opposition forces not to use faces and voices modified by artificial intelligence in the electoral campaign as our party will do”, says Barachini, addressing the majority and the opposition.
«Using the mystification of content aimed at voters means betraying citizens», claims the exponent of FI (which is also Siracusano’s party). The undersecretary at Palazzo Chigi with responsibility for Information and Publishing explains that the appeal is in line with the “Italian path traced by this government, introducing the crime of ‘deepfake'”. The ‘Azzurrò’ party responded to Barachini’s request by relaunching the proposal. The FI group leader in the Senate, Stefania Craxi, speaks of the stop of AI during the electoral campaign as “a choice of responsibility that can no longer be postponed”.
While the president of the Forzista deputies Enrico Costa, remarks: «Politics has the duty to set an example, making correct use», of Artificial Intelligence. For FI deputy secretary Deborah Bergamini, Barachini’s appeal “is an act of courage respecting the principle of truth”. The blue spokesperson Raffaele Nevi speaks of FI’s “clear commitment against manipulation in the electoral campaign”. FI’s deputy group leader in the Senate, Roberto Rosso, urges “responsibility” regarding the use of AI. According to Catia Polidori, head of ‘Azzurro Donnà, ‘deepfakes’ “threaten people’s dignity”. The M5s opens from the opposition. «We have been looking for a pact for a long time. – says the deputy Daniela Morfino – let’s start from my PDL”. The five-star member Carmela Auriemma invites us to “move from appeals to facts”. Angelo Bonelli, Avs, points out: «We have taken a position some time ago». «The appeals to do something are late: they come from the same people who rejected my pdl months ago» on «manipulated AI contents», Anna Ascani, of the Democratic Party, cuts short. The nuance offered by Matteo Renzi is also different: «The priority today is to develop artificial intelligence, not to ban photomontages», but «a pact on deepfakes is welcome», observes the IV leader.