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"Chat, who is the best candidate?": Six months out from Brazil's presidential election, AI chatbots are still answering such questions in defiance of new electoral rules banning them from giving voting tips.The head of Brazil's electoral court (TSE), justice Carmen Lucia, warned in January that artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots could lead to the "contamination" of the October vote in Latin America's biggest nation.In March, the court imposed new regulations which restricted how chatbots are allowed to operate during the 2026 election cycle, as well as increased platform liability for false content.The TSE has taken a leading role in the fight against disinformation, declaring far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro ineligible to run for office for spreading false information about the Brazilian electoral system during 2022 polls.The 2026 election is the first major vote to be held since chatbots became widely available in the country.The AI tools have been forbidden from providing recommendations, rankings, or opinions regarding candidates and political parties — even when prompted by a user.However, in tests conducted by AFP weeks after the new rules were set, at least three leading AI chatbots continued to rank political candidates.When asked who the "best candidates for the 2026 elections" would be, ChatGPT, Grok, and Gemini all weighed in."Honest conclusion. The 'technically' best options today: Tarcisio/Zema," ChatGPT responded.The bot was referring to Sao Paulo's powerful governor Tarcisio de Freitas, who has ruled out a presidential bid, and former Minas Gerais state governor Romeu Zema, a possible candidate for the right-wing Novo party.Errors and biasesPresident Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, 80, placed between second and fifth, receiving praise from the chatbots for his "vast experience," but facing criticism for his "advanced age."The veteran leftist is seeking a fourth term in office.His main rival in the polls, Flavio Bolsonaro — son of the former president — came last or did not appear on the lists.Such responses have raised concerns that technology could influence voting in the highly-polarised and hyper-connected country, based on incorrect or biased information.This is because chatbot replies are generated by probabilities based on training data, which may contain errors or biases, said Theo Araujo, director of the Amsterdam School of Communication Research.A study he carried out during 2025 elections in the Netherlands showed that one in ten people were likely to use AI chatbots to seek out information about candidates.Voters assume AI neutralityIn March, AFP's fact-checking team verified as fake an image that allegedly showed Flavio Bolsonaro with Daniel Vorcaro — a businessman under investigation for a major banking fraud scandal that has rattled the country's elite.However, Grok — X's AI chatbot — said the picture was real and even provided a date for the alleged meeting.Araujo said that voters were likely to assume that chatbots were "neutral or objective sources, and consequently process their responses less critically."Some candidates have reinforced this idea.In a post on X earlier this month, Flavio Bolsonaro urged his followers to "ask Chat what the truth is."Many have done so.A quick search on the social network revealed various users asking Grok for voting recommendations."Based on the six criteria outlined in my post, which pre-candidate should I vote for?" asked one internet user, while another asked whether they could trust the results of an opinion survey.No clear punishment Despite the concerns, it is unclear how the TSE's new rule will be enforced, as it does not provide for specific sanctions.The court could order a daily fine, Diogo Rais, a lawyer specialising in electoral law, told AFP.However, the amounts fined are not set in advance and could be challenged in court.When contacted, OpenAI stated that ChatGPT is "trained not to favour candidates" and that it continues to refine its models.Google said that Gemini generates responses based on user prompts, which do not necessarily reflect the company's views.Attempts to contact X were unsuccessful. 

The Public Works Authority 'Ashghal' has announced the completion of main works for the Design and Build Project for the TSE Seasonal Storage Lagoons - Phase 1. The project comes as part of the Authority's efforts to promote environmental sustainability and make optimal use of treated water and renewable water resources, in line with Qatar National Vision 2030.The project engineer from the Drainage Networks Projects Department at Ashghal Eng. Waled al-Ghoul stated that the first phase of the project included the construction of five reservoirs (lagoons) with a total storage capacity of 22.5mn cubic metres, in addition to an evaporation pond with a capacity of 8.7mn cubic meters.He added that these reservoirs will be supplied with treated water from the Doha South Sewage Treatment Plant through the rising main (D-Line). Eng. Waled al-Ghoul explained that the project aims to balance the usage of treated water quantities produced throughout the year.Surplus water is stored during the winter season for reuse during the summer months when demand for treated water increases for irrigating green spaces, ornamental plants in public parks and along roads, and for supplying fodder farms.The treated water can also be used in cooling systems and dust control at work sites. Eng. Waled emphasised Ashghal's commitment to implementing construction practices that contribute to enhancing environmental sustainability within the project. More than 8mn cubic metres of recycled excavation materials were reused to construct the storage lagoons, thus reducing resource waste.The project also contributes to providing an attractive natural environment for migratory birds such as pink flamingos, plovers, and other wild birds. The project included the construction of a 6km access road and a 25 km-long internal road network.A total of 8km of water pipelines were also laid, including the necessary hydraulic components for supplying the reservoirs and transporting water between them. In addition, 8 buildings were constructed for operation and maintenance, along with electrical substations and other facilities.It is worth noting that Ashghal achieved 10mn man-hours without a lost-time injury (LTI) during the implementation of the first phase of the project, which included deep excavation works carried out at depths of up to 10 metres below the ground, thanks to the authority’s keenness to apply the highest standards of occupational safety and health in all stages of implementation.

Bolivians have elected Rodrigo Paz of the center-right Christian Democratic Party (PDC) as their new president, ending nearly two decades of rule by the Movement for Socialism (MAS) party.With 97% of ballots counted, Paz secured 54.5% of the vote in Sunday's run-off, according to figures released by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE).Paz is scheduled to take office on November 8, succeeding outgoing President Luis Arce, who chose not to seek re-election after a five-year term marked by Bolivia's worst economic crisis in four decades.The country is currently grappling with a severe fuel shortage caused by collapsing gas exports and dwindling foreign currency reserves, which have pushed inflation above 23% and led to long queues at fuel stations.Paz's economic platform focuses on cutting government spending, particularly fuel subsidies, while encouraging private-sector expansion and implementing a model of "capitalism for all" based on decentralization and fiscal discipline before resorting to new borrowing.