Tyrol SPÖ proposes cross-party AI rules for election campaigns

Tyrol’s Social Democratic Party (SPÖ) has proposed a cross-party agreement on the use of artificial intelligence in election campaigns, ORF reported. The party wants to invite all parties represented in the Tyrol state parliament to develop the rules together.

The proposal calls for banning deepfakes and fabricated statements attributed to political opponents, and for clearly labelling AI-generated images, audio and video. A proposed “fairness council” would rule on alleged breaches. For serious violations, parties would pay 10,000 euros to an independent organisation working on media literacy and democratic education.

SPÖ Tyrol leader Philip Wohlgemuth said the aim was to prevent voters from losing the ability to tell what is real. He said political debate should remain tough and critical but honest, and described the issue as a shared responsibility for democracy.

The SPÖ plans to hold an extraordinary state party conference on 21 November in Seefeld, in the Innsbruck-Land district, to make personnel decisions for the 2027 state election and approve its election programme. The party also said it wanted to help shape the development of AI, which it expects to change work and the economy fundamentally.

The Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) said it did not consider an additional agreement necessary. Tyrol FPÖ leader Markus Abwerzger said his party followed existing laws and expected others to do the same. He said the party opposed deceptive AI manipulation, fabricated statements and falsified depictions of political opponents, and noted that labelling AI-generated content was already regulated by law.