THE AUTONOMOUS PROPAGANDIST AND THE DIGITAL WAKIL: AGENTIC AI AND POLITICAL COMMUNICATION IN THE GLOBAL SOUTH

Abstract

The academic discussion of artificial intelligence in communication has been dominated by the ability of Generative AI to generate content. In this paper, it is argued that a more profound disruption lies with the advent of Agentic AI - autonomous systems that can perform goal-oriented, multiple-step communication campaigns. Although existing studies on this technology are mostly Western-centric, it will have its influence depending on local political and media ecological systems. The debate will be repositioned as Global South perspective with Pakistan serving as a critical case study. We start by distinguishing between the agentic and generative paradigm and define its consequences on the communication theories of authorship, authenticity, and trust. We then speculate on how Agentic AI, in the form of a Digital Wakil (agent or representative), might perform in the highly polarized and personality-based politics of Pakistan, and the ability to provide hyper-personalized outreach and control narratives on an unprecedented scale. The paper ends with a post-human research agenda that involves an empirical study of agentic outputs, audience reception research, and comparative regulatory policy. This work presents an indispensable critical framework that can be used to understand a technology that is going to redefine political communication and democracies worldwide.