Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has confirmed that a recent visit from Colombian President Gustavo Petro carried a specific warning: the growing risk that artificial intelligence tools and automated social media bots could be used to manipulate voters and distort election results.
According to Sheinbaum, Petro raised the issue during their meeting, framing it as a threat that governments across Latin America should take seriously as digital technology becomes more sophisticated and harder to detect. She did not elaborate publicly on further details of their private conversation.
Sheinbaum also revealed that she extended an invitation to the Colombian leader to give one or more public lectures in Mexico, though no date or venue has been announced yet. Petro, a former guerrilla member who has positioned himself as a leftist voice on the international stage, has previously spoken about disinformation and the influence of new technologies on democratic processes.
The exchange comes amid broader global concern over how AI-generated content and coordinated bot networks can amplify misinformation, particularly around elections. Sheinbaum’s remarks suggest the two leaders see this as a shared regional challenge worth addressing through direct dialogue.
For the full story and additional context in Spanish, read the original report at jornada.com.mx.
Source: Sheinbaum: Petro vino a advertir sobre uso de IA y bots para influir en comicios (jornada.com.mx). English version produced with AI assistance.
Image: Astro_Alex, BY-SA 2.0 (via Openverse).