Ahead of India's 2024 elections, some politicians are using voice cloning tools to send personalized messages and AI songs featuring Modi are gaining traction.

The rise of free AI voice-cloning tools has allowed Indian meme pages to mix politics with entertainment and trolling, drawing more eyeballs and engagement. I highlight a growing trend of Modi’s digitally rendered voice being used for videos not just in Hindi, but also in south Indian languages like Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada, captivating audiences in regions where Hindi is not commonly spoken.

Modi’s Hindi speeches can often be inaccessible to large swathes of the population that does not understand the language, but voice cloning could help make campaigns accessible. I talked to political consultants and AI tool creators to unpack how the amusing “singing” Reels could win Modi votes in the upcoming 2024 elections.

The story set the precedent for discourse on AI and the Indian elections, and has been cited by multiple publications including Voice of America.

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