Meloni says yes to the AI pact with Schlein

Giorgia Meloni is on board and open to a non-aggression pact – on an issue that is by no means symbolic – proposed yesterday by Elly Schlein in an interview with Il Foglio. The secretary of the Democratic Party called on all political forces to commit to “not using artificial intelligence to attribute fabricated words or deeds to opponents”. Elly Schlein’s reference is not limited to videos produced by extremists in which leaders of political parties are depicted as if they were Christian martyrs. The reference is more general: political confrontation is inevitable, as are low blows; the election campaign will be complicated and full of controversy, but on one point there must be no compromise. No deepfakes, therefore no fakes, no manipulation of thought, no use of artificial intelligence as a tool to discredit opponents for no good reason, as a troll from a hostile country might do. The battle against deepfakes, against the abuses of AI, has long been a cause close to the Prime Minister’s heart.

In 2023, at the UN, he spoke of the “enormous inherent risks” of AI. At the G7, in the presence of Pope Francis, he reiterated this in 2024. In May 2026, he described deepfakes as dangerous tools because they are capable of “deceiving, manipulating and affecting anyone”, pointing out that a public figure can defend themselves, whilst many ordinary citizens would lack the means to do so, and she urged everyone – voters and non-voters alike – to verify content before believing or sharing it, even within the political debate, a point she reiterated on 2 July at the UIL congress. Yesterday, Il Foglio asked Giorgia Meloni whether she therefore agreed with the spirit of the non-aggression pact called for by Schlein. No doubt about it. “It’s an issue I raised before anyone else. I agree.” A non-aggression pact between opponents. The arguments will continue. The controversies too. But blows below the belt, via AI? No, thank you.