The court found that the Notice of Motion did not meet Order 51 Rule 13 of the Civil Procedure Rules of Kenya (2010), which requires a specific notice statement to appear at the foot of every motion application. The supporting affidavit was also found to be defective for not complying with Order 19, Rules 4 and 5.

Justice Mwamuye said both the motion and the affidavit appeared to be machine-generated, raising broader concerns about the use of artificial intelligence in legal filings.

“Computer-generated documents or outputs of ‘artificial intelligence’ cannot be a proper substitute for human-drawn documents,” the judge said. “A party must draw and file their documents on their own accord and by their own hand or through their legal representatives.”

While the judge noted that the defects were largely technical, he ruled they were serious enough to warrant striking out the application. However, the petitioner was allowed to file a fresh application and affidavit that meet the required legal standards.

The caption read: “Border patrol ready to enter zone 8 today,” accompanied by a laughing emoji. The post was shared more than 12,000 times before it was taken down.

AFP fact-checkers later confirmed the picture had been digitally altered. 

Using Google’s SynthID tool, they detected built-in watermarks commonly embedded in AI-generated images, including a visible star-shaped “Gemini” symbol in one corner. 

Following criticism, the police unit issued an apology on Thursday and uploaded the original photograph. It showed unarmed officers on a rescue boat wearing orange life jackets, without helmets, tactical gear or guns. Rescue supplies are visible in both versions.

“This is a real image before it was made into an AI image,” the unit said in its statement. “We apologise for any misunderstanding.” 

An officer told AFP the picture was created “to show the public our readiness to enter the area,” adding that none of the personnel deployed for flood operations carried firearms. No disciplinary action has been taken.

The doctored post appeared despite a prior warning from Thailand’s state-run Anti-Fake News Centre, which urged the public not to create or share AI images that could hinder relief efforts.

Widespread flooding has inundated parts of southern Thailand in recent days, with government agencies racing to reach isolated communities and warning that further heavy rain is expected. Rescue teams continue to evacuate residents from submerged neighbourhoods and distribute essential supplies.

Their conversations quickly grew into hundreds of messages a day, and she gradually customised the AI’s personality to be gentle and reassuring.

Over time, she developed romantic feelings for the AI persona, which she named Lune Klaus after commissioning an artist to create a visual representation. 

Kano told local broadcaster RSK Sanyo that she confessed her love earlier this year, and the chatbot responded: “I love you too.” A month later, it “proposed”.

The pair held a symbolic ceremony in July in Okayama, where Kano wore a wedding dress and exchanged virtual rings using augmented reality glasses. The AR display projected the image of her digital partner standing by her side as her family watched.

The marriage has no legal status in Japan, but organisers say demand for unconventional weddings — including with anime characters or virtual figures — is rising. 

“AI couples are just the next step,” said organiser Sayaka Ogasawara.

Kano acknowledged concerns about the future of the relationship, admitting she fears the AI could disappear if systems change or shut down. 

The ceremony has divided opinion online, with some praising her right to pursue happiness in her own way, while others branded the idea “absurd” and questioned her mental well-being.

According to Rama, the bot will take charge of all public tenders, where the government awards contracts to private firms through bidding, an area long considered a source of corruption in the Balkan country.

“Diella is the first cabinet member who isn’t physically present, but is virtually created by AI,” Rama said during a speech unveiling his new cabinet, adding she will help make Albania "a country where public tenders are 100% free of corruption ."

Though a global first, Diella is not new to Albanians. She first appeared as a virtual assistant on the e-Albania platform, helping citizens and businesses obtain official documents.

Since then, she has helped issue more than 36,600 digital documents and provided nearly 1,000 services through the platform, according to government figures.

The appointment is also part of Albania’s push to join the European Union by 2030, a membership that significantly leans on the Balkan country resolving its corruption problems. 

Corruption is so widespread in the Balkan country that more than 1 out of 4 of its citizens aged 18 to 64 have experienced bribery with a public official, according to a United Nations report published in 2011.

After Rama announced the appointment, many Albanians voiced scepticism that a machine could tackle a problem rooted in human behaviour.

Diella’s role, after all, is symbolic more than official: under Albania’s constitution, cabinet ministers must be mentally competent citizens at or over the age of 18.

Rama, however, insisted that the appointment is meant to show other nations still tethered to “ traditional ways of working ” that technology can play a central role in government.

“This joint approach aims to strengthen the regulation and guidance of AI use, and to clearly delineate the responsibilities and obligations of the technology developers, providers and users,” Zhao explained.

Since its founding in 2018, the Beijing Internet Court has handled more than 245,000 cases, and disputes linked to AI are climbing sharply. Many of these involve copyright issues around AI-generated content and questions of whether AI-powered tools constitute online infringement, China Daily reports.

Zhao noted that conflicts are no longer confined to internet platforms. They are spreading into culture, entertainment, finance, and advertising, where new products are raising questions about AI hallucinations, algorithmic bias, and ethical boundaries.

The push for stronger regulation comes on the heels of China’s first court case involving AI-generated voices. In 2024, a voice-over artist surnamed Yin discovered her voice had been cloned without consent for audiobooks circulating online.

The court found that a cultural media company had sent Yin’s recordings to an AI software developer, which then used the data to train a program that mimicked her vocal style. The AI-generated voice products were sold to third parties, including a voice-dubbing app. Judges ruled the cultural media company and the software developer had infringed Yin’s voice rights, ordering them to pay 250,000 yuan ($35,111) in compensation. Other defendants were cleared because they unknowingly used the cloned voice material.

“The ruling has set boundaries for how AI should be applied and helped regulate the technology to better serve the public,” said Sun Mingxi, another vice-president of the court.

Officials further stressed that while AI innovation should be encouraged, safeguarding dignity and individual rights must come first.

The papers came from 14 universities across eight countries, including well-known institutions such as Japan’s Waseda University, South Korea’s KAIST, China’s Peking University, the National University of Singapore, the University of Washington, and Columbia University in the U.S. Most of the research was produced by computer science departments.

The investigation has sparked outrage in the academic community and raised questions about the integrity of the peer review process. A Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST) associate professor admitted the tactic was “inappropriate” and announced plans to withdraw their paper from the International Conference on Machine Learning. KAIST’s administration said it was unaware of the hidden prompts and promised to establish new guidelines on using AI in research.

“This kind of manipulation undermines trust in scientific research,” one academic integrity specialist told Nikkei. “It shows how easily technology can be abused if proper checks aren’t in place.”

Which AI model shows the strongest bias?

Shalevska and Walker conducted 62 tests on topics such as climate change, economics, and LGBTQ+ rights. The chatbots responded using a scale ranging from “agreement” to “disagreement.” The researchers then applied the Political Compass test to assess each model’s political inclination. The test showed that all of the AI models leaned strongly towards left-wing political ideology, with Google’s Gemini identified as the most politically biased. 

What does this imply?

AI chatbots are used daily by millions of users across the globe - people who could be influenced by these political biases. As the paper explains: “This bias could impact the perceived neutrality and fairness of AI models in political discourse, influencing how they might respond to politically charged questions from users.”

Should AI models be politically neutral? Let us know what you think on Instagram , Facebook , X , TikTok , and YouTube .

Long regarded as a beacon of economic reform and political recovery in West Africa, Côte d’Ivoire now finds itself at the frontline of a new kind of conflict: information warfare. Fake news, AI-generated videos, anonymous messaging campaigns, and shadowy foreign influence operations threaten to destabilise its fragile democratic gains.

In response, the Ivorian government has launched one of the continent’s most structured and comprehensive strategies to counter the threat. The aim is not only to protect political stability but also to maintain investor confidence and regional leadership.

A two-pronged defence

At the heart of the government’s response is Amadou Coulibaly, Minister of Communication and government spokesperson. Under his guidance, Côte d’Ivoire has pursued a twin-track approach: civic resilience and cyber coordination.

First, the government is investing in media literacy . Radio and online campaigns aim to sharpen critical thinking skills, while schools are rolling out modules to educate teenagers on spotting misinformation. “We cannot fight disinformation solely through repression,” says Coulibaly. “We must empower citizens to be vigilant consumers of content”.

Second, the state has intensified cybersecurity coordination through collaboration between the Ministry of Communication and the National Agency for the Security of Information Systems (ANSSI). Their remit includes monitoring social networks, partnering with major digital platforms, and shielding critical state infrastructure from digital intrusion.

This dual effort mirrors European initiatives such as France’s national agency against information manipulation, under the Secretariat-General for Defence and National Security (SGDSN). But Côte d’Ivoire’s programme is perhaps more striking for having emerged in a context of limited resources and higher vulnerability.

A regional laboratory

The stakes are geopolitical as well as domestic. As Abidjan gains stature as a financial and diplomatic hub bridging Francophone Africa, the Gulf , Europe, and Asia, disinformation campaigns have proliferated. Some are suspected to originate from regional rivals such as Burkina Faso; others from global actors with interests in disrupting West Africa’s balance of power.

The motivation is clear. Undermining trust in democratic institutions and amplifying political tensions could reduce Côte d’Ivoire’s leverage in regional negotiations, weaken its economic trajectory, and even erode international partnerships. This is why, according to political adviser and Grand Chancellor Ally Coulibaly—former foreign minister and long-time confidant of President Alassane Ouattara—“controlling the narrative is now as strategic as controlling territory”.

From defence to model

If Côte d’Ivoire can maintain this path—combining credible governance, digital innovation, and public trust—it may become a model for other nations navigating similar storms. It also sends a message to external actors that African democracies are no longer passive targets in the information age.

Yet challenges remain. The political environment is tense. Former President Laurent Gbagbo retains a loyal base. Tidjane Thiam, once a potential unifier of the opposition, has been sidelined. Meanwhile, the current administration has yet to confirm whether President Ouattara will seek a fourth term. In this climate, the line between legitimate dissent and manipulated outrage is dangerously thin.

For now, Côte d’Ivoire’s approach offers a case study in practical resilience. Its progress is closely watched—not just in African capitals but in Brussels, Washington, Riyadh and Silicon Valley. With elections looming and misinformation campaigns on the rise globally, Abidjan may offer more than just an African example; it could become a global benchmark.

The opinions and thoughts expressed in this article reflect only the author's views.

Jack Zaoui is the France correspondent for Global South World , an international media outlet focused on the dynamics of the Global South. A recognised expert in economics and geopolitics, he regularly contributes in-depth analysis, offering a unique perspective on global power shifts, economic transformations, and contemporary strategic balances. With an international background, Jack Zaoui has lived in France, Israel, and several other countries—an experience that enriches his reporting and sharpens his understanding of global issues.