Vol.:(0123456789) European Political Science https://doi.org/10.1057/s41304-024-00482-9 RESEARCH On the way to deep fake democracy? Deep fakes in election campaigns in 2023 Mateusz Łabuz 1,2,3  · Christopher Nehring 4 Accepted: 28 March 2024 © The Author(s) 2024 Abstract The development of generative artificial intelligence raises justified concerns about the possibility of undermining trust in democratic processes, especially elections. Deep fakes are often considered one of the particularly dangerous forms of media manipulation. Subsequent research confirms that they contribute to strengthening the sense of uncertainty among citizens and negatively affect the information envi- ronment. The aim of this study is to analyse the use of deep fakes in 11 countries in 2023, in the context of elections and to indicate potential consequences for future electoral processes, in particular with regard to the significant number of elections in 2024. We argue that a so-called “information apocalypse” emerges mainly from exaggeratedly alarmist voices that make it difficult to shape responsible narratives and may have the features of a self-fulfilling prophecy. Thus, we suggest to use the term “pollution” instead and improve scientific and journalistic discourse that might be a precondition for reducing threats that touch on social reactions to deep fakes and their potential. Keywords Deep fakes · Artificial intelligence · Disinformation · Election · Manipulation · Democracy * Mateusz Łabuz mateusz.labuz@up.krakow.pl; mateuszlabuz@gmail.com Christopher Nehring christopher.nehring@proton.me 1 Chemnitz University of Technology, Chemnitz, Germany 2 University of the National Education Commission, Kraków, Poland 3 The Pontifical University of John Paul II, Kraków, Poland 4 Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication, Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski, Sofia, Bulgaria