A Cautionary Tale About "Neutrally" Informative AI Tools Ahead of the 2025 Federal Elections in Germany

In this study, we examine the reliability of AI-based Voting Advice Applications (VAAs) and large language models (LLMs) in providing objective political information. Our analysis is based upon a comparison with party responses to 38 statements of the Wahl-O-Mat, a well-established German online tool that helps inform voters by comparing their views with political party positions. For the LLMs, we identify significant biases. They exhibit a strong alignment (over 75% on average) with left-wing parties and a substantially lower alignment with center-right (smaller 50%) and right-wing parties (around 30%). Furthermore, for the VAAs, intended to objectively inform voters, we found substantial deviations from the parties' stated positions in Wahl-O-Mat: While one VAA deviated in 25% of cases, another VAA showed deviations in more than 50% of cases. For the latter, we even observed that simple prompt injections led to severe hallucinations, including false claims such as non-existent connections between political parties and right-wing extremist ties.

The Self-Perception and Political Biases of ChatGPT

This contribution analyzes the self-perception and political biases of OpenAI's Large Language Model ChatGPT. Taking into account the first small-scale reports and studies that have emerged, claiming that ChatGPT is politically biased towards progressive and libertarian points of view, this contribution aims to provide further clarity on this subject. For this purpose, ChatGPT was asked to answer the questions posed by the political compass test as well as similar questionnaires that are specific to the respective politics of the G7 member states. These eight tests were repeated ten times each and revealed that ChatGPT seems to hold a bias towards progressive views. The political compass test revealed a bias towards progressive and libertarian views, with the average coordinates on the political compass being (-6.48, -5.99) (with (0, 0) the center of the compass, i.e., centrism and the axes ranging from -10 to 10), supporting the claims of prior research. The political questionnaires for the G7 member states indicated a bias towards progressive views but no significant bias between authoritarian and libertarian views, contradicting the findings of prior reports, with the average coordinates being (-3.27, 0.58). In addition, ChatGPT's Big Five personality traits were tested using the OCEAN test and its personality type was queried using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) test. Finally, the maliciousness of ChatGPT was evaluated using the Dark Factor test. These three tests were also repeated ten times each, revealing that ChatGPT perceives itself as highly open and agreeable, has the Myers-Briggs personality type ENFJ, and is among the 15% of test-takers with the least pronounced dark traits.