Islamabad: Former Prime Minister Imran Khan of Pakistan leveraged artificial intelligence to campaign from prison on Monday. His opposition party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), utilized a voice clone of Khan to deliver a four-minute message during a "virtual rally" held on social media.

Despite internet disruptions consistent with censorship attempts, PTI employed AI technology to produce the audio message. Khan, who has been imprisoned since August on charges of leaking classified documents, claims the allegations are fabricated to prevent him from participating in the upcoming general elections scheduled for February.

The AI-generated voice mimicked Khan's rhetorical style using a shorthand script sent by the former PM through his lawyers. The AI tool from ElevenLabs transformed the text into audio, creating a "voice clone" based on existing speech samples.

During the virtual rally, the AI-generated message praised the social media team for the historic attempt and addressed Khan's current situation in jail. The audio was broadcast at the conclusion of a five-hour live-stream of PTI supporters' speeches on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. The virtual rally reached over 4.5 million viewers.

PTI faced challenges earlier this year when Khan was banned from appearing on air, and the state censors targeted the party's social media activities. Despite these obstacles, PTI remains innovative in using technology for political campaigns. The AI-generated message concluded with genuine video clips from Khan's past speeches, emphasizing the party's election mode.

Analysts have highlighted the potential for AI to impersonate leaders and spread disinformation. In this case, the technology was used to circumvent state censorship, allowing Khan to address supporters virtually. Pakistan's election commission has confirmed elections on February 8, and Khan, though behind bars, remains a significant figurehead for PTI.