Pages: (63-82 )
Abstract
Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative force in political communication, particularly in social media political campaigns. This study examines the awareness, perception, and perceived influence of AI in social media political campaigns among political party members in Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State, Nigeria. The study adopts a quantitative survey method, using structured questionnaires to collect data from members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in the study area. The questionnaire assessed respondents’ familiarity with AI technologies, attitudes toward AI-driven political campaigns, and perceptions of its influence on political communication and voter engagement. Findings reveal that awareness of AI among political party members in Offa is generally low, with many respondents having limited knowledge of its applications in social media political campaigns. Respondents also demonstrated relatively low perceptions of the feasibility and effectiveness of AI-driven campaign strategies within the local political environment. Furthermore, the perceived influence of AI on political campaign communication, voter engagement, and political participation remains minimal. These findings indicate that the adoption of AI in local political campaigns in Offa is still at an early stage. The study concludes that although AI has significant potential to enhance political communication through data-driven strategies, automated engagement, and targeted messaging, its adoption remains constrained by low awareness and limited technological exposure. The study recommends increased AI awareness, capacity-building, and collaboration between political actors and technology experts to promote effective and responsible AI adoption in political campaigns.
Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, Political Communication, Political Participation, Social Media Campaigns, Voter Engagement,