Practical Artificial Intelligence for Political Parties
- Written by Tayla Pinto.
- Published in 2026 by the iNtaka Centre for Law & Technology at the University of Cape Town and the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung.
Artificial intelligence is changing how information is created, analysed and communicated. For political parties and their representatives, it offers practical ways to support research, drafting and preparation. It can help users work through long documents, analyse policy, prepare questions and develop first drafts of correspondence or speeches.
These tools also create risks. AI can produce inaccurate information, reinforce bias and expose confidential or personal data. It can also present false information in a way that sounds convincing and authoritative. For this reason, AI outputs should never be accepted without review.
This manual provides a practical introduction to artificial intelligence and large language models. It explains how tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Copilot work. It also explores where these tools can add value and where caution is required. The guidance draws on South African law, international standards and examples from legislatures around the world.
The central principle is that AI should support human judgement, not replace it. Users remain responsible for the accuracy, integrity and appropriate use of any AI-assisted work.
