President John Dramani Mahama has cautioned that the rapid and unregulated growth of Artificial Intelligence (AI) poses a significant threat to global information integrity, warning that it could fuel misinformation and distort public discourse if not responsibly managed.
Speaking at the International Conference on Information Integrity in Paris, President Mahama said emerging AI-driven tools such as deepfakes and algorithmic manipulation are reshaping global narratives, making it increasingly difficult for people to separate truth from falsehood.
“If we’re to build a sustainable planet, we must also build an informed public. The dawn of artificial intelligence has transformed the information landscape. While AI offers immense opportunities for innovation, it also amplifies the risk of misinformation and economic disruption,” he stated.
The President stressed the need for collective global action to ensure that AI technologies are used to advance humanity rather than undermine it.
“Deepfakes, synthetic media, and algorithmic manipulation are reshaping what our societies perceive as truth. Our collective task must be to harness AI responsibly, promote transparency, and ensure that technological progress strengthens rather than erodes public trust,” he added.
President Mahama urged world leaders to treat the fight against misinformation with the same urgency as national security and economic challenges, cautioning that the consequences of inaction could be severe.
“We must work to win the global war against misinformation and disinformation. Disinformation is not an abstract issue — it shapes elections, distorts public health responses, fuels conflicts, and undermines the fight against climate change. A decade after the Paris Accord, falsehood continues to erode public confidence in science and policy,” he noted.
He also called for greater investment in independent journalism, describing it as the foundation of democracy and accountability.
“Independent journalism is not a luxury; it is a public good. When journalists can hold their governments accountable, societies flourish. When truth is defended, peace is preserved, and when citizens can access reliable information, democracy endures,” he said.
Concluding his address, President Mahama called for a renewed global commitment to defend truth and integrity in the digital age.
“The message from this conference is unmistakable: the world must invest in truth as deliberately as it invests in infrastructure, energy, or defence. The cost of inaction will be far greater than the cost of commitment.
Let us leave Paris with a renewed determination to support journalists and institutions that stand for integrity and accountability, demand transparency and ethical responsibility from digital and AI platforms, and strengthen international cooperation to protect information as a shared global asset.
In the words of the late Nelson Mandela, ‘A critical, independent, and investigative press is the lifeblood of any democracy.’ That conviction must guide us as we turn the outcomes of this conference into lasting global action,” he concluded.
