President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo urged a national debate on the responsible use of artificial intelligence during a press conference in Mexico City [1].
The initiative seeks to balance the technological benefits of AI with urgent concerns regarding security, ethics, privacy, and social impact [2]. As generative AI becomes more integrated into public discourse, the Mexican government aims to establish guardrails to prevent misinformation and protect democratic integrity.
Speaking during the morning press conference on May 26, 2024 [1], Sheinbaum said that a debate on the origin and use of the technology is necessary because it will affect all inhabitants of the planet in the future [3].
Sheinbaum specifically addressed the intersection of technology and democracy. She said the electoral reform her government will present this year will include measures to regulate the use of artificial intelligence during political campaigns [4]. This move suggests a proactive approach to mitigating the risks of deepfakes and automated disinformation during election cycles.
Beyond legislative action, the president highlighted the importance of philosophical and ethical frameworks. She said it is worth reading the first encyclical from Pope Leo XIV regarding artificial intelligence, regardless of whether a person is Catholic [5]. This reference underscores the administration's interest in integrating global ethical standards into the national conversation on technology.
The call for a national dialogue is intended to ensure that the transition into an AI-driven economy does not leave vulnerable populations behind or compromise individual privacy rights [2]. By combining electoral law with a broader social debate, the administration seeks to create a comprehensive regulatory environment for emerging technologies [4].
“Se debe debatir sobre el origen y uso de la inteligencia artificial, pues en el futuro afectará a todos los habitantes del planeta.”
Mexico's push to regulate AI within electoral law reflects a growing global trend of treating synthetic media as a systemic risk to democracy. By linking the debate to both legislative reform and ethical guidance, the Sheinbaum administration is attempting to move beyond technical solutions to address the broader societal disruptions caused by rapid AI adoption.
