Digital
Election Commission to meet social media platforms on 11 March
Talks focus on tackling misinformation and deepfakes ahead of Assembly polls in multiple states.
MUMBAI: India’s poll watchdog is calling time on deepfake drama because when elections meet AI trickery, even the ballot box needs a fact-check referee. The Election Commission of India will convene senior officials from major social media platforms on 11 March 2026 at Nirvachan Sadan, New Delhi, to discuss the growing challenges of misinformation and deepfakes during elections.
The agenda centres on the “opportunities and challenges” of social media use in the electoral process, with the Commission aiming to develop a framework for its “optimal and responsible” application in line with existing laws. Discussions will cover improved content monitoring, faster responses to election-related complaints, and closer coordination with authorities during campaign periods.
The meeting comes ahead of Assembly elections in several states, including West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and the Union Territory of Puducherry. The rising influence of social media in politics has heightened concerns over manipulated content, including deepfakes, which have been linked to incidents of violence and misinformation in past polls.
In recent elections, political parties and candidates have increasingly used AI tools to create synthetic videos, audio clips and fabricated statements impersonating opponents or falsely showing endorsements. The Election Commission had issued advisories before the 2024 general elections, directing parties to avoid circulating deepfakes and remove misleading material within three hours of detection, citing provisions under the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and the Information Technology Act, 2000.
The consultations follow earlier engagements with tech companies and reflect broader policy debates on regulating AI-generated content. Amendments to the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 shortened the removal timeline for unlawful content from 36 hours to three hours, a change that has drawn criticism from industry players for leaving limited room for careful legal and factual review.
Executives from global platforms, including Meta, have argued that while they are committed to addressing harmful content, the tight deadline complicates compliance.
As deepfakes blur the line between real and reel, the Election Commission isn’t just monitoring posts, it’s trying to keep the vote real in an age where reality itself can be edited.
Digital
OpenAI’s Stargate lead Peter Hoeschele exits with two senior leaders
Trio behind compute push set to join new startup amid leadership reshuffle
SAN FRANCISCO: Peter Hoeschele, a key figure behind OpenAI’s early Stargate data centre initiative, has exited the company, according to a report by The Information.
The departure is part of a broader leadership shift, with two other senior executives, Shamez Hemani and Anuj Saharan, also set to leave in the coming days. All three are expected to join the same new startup, although details about the venture remain under wraps.
The trio played a central role in OpenAI’s Stargate effort, an initiative aimed at building large-scale data centre capacity in-house to reduce reliance on external infrastructure providers. Their exits mark a notable moment for the company’s compute strategy as it continues to scale rapidly.
OpenAI spokesperson said in a statement to The Information, “We’re grateful for the contributions Peter, Shamez, and Anuj have made to OpenAI and wish them the very best in what comes next.” The company also pointed to the recent appointment of Sachin Katti to lead its industrial compute organisation, signalling continuity in its infrastructure roadmap.
OpenAI has indicated that it does not plan to directly replace Hoeschele’s role, suggesting a possible restructuring of responsibilities within the team.
As competition intensifies in the race to build next-generation AI systems, leadership changes in core infrastructure teams are likely to draw close attention. For now, the spotlight shifts to what this departing trio builds next, and how OpenAI adapts as it scales its ambitions.
