For the past couple of months, news cycles worldwide have been filled with stories of increasingly advanced and complex artificial intelligence (AI) tools that use machine learning to achieve incredible feats. However, while this technology will undoubtedly revolutionize industry in a myriad of ways, many experts are worried about the potential impact of AI-generated disinformation during election cycles.
Advancements in both software and hardware have allowed startups such as OpenAI and Stability AI as well as established tech companies such as Google and Microsoft to develop increasingly advanced generative AI models. Tools such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, for instance, can generate pages of text based on short, concise user prompts, allowing individuals to create significantly more written content than they could without the tool.
Despite being mostly unregulated, artificial intelligence technology is becoming increasingly entrenched in American society. Deepfake technology (not AI) can already create false but convincing images, videos and even audio of well-known personalities such as celebrities and politicians. AI technology is significantly more advanced than deepfake technology and has the potential to flood the internet with misinformation, false data and even made-up information in a short time.
Just this year, an AI-generated robocall targeted voters in New Hampshire during the January primary, claimed to be President Joe Biden, and asked voters to stay at home. U.S. officials say this was the first time bad players attempted to use artificial intelligence to interfere with elections in the country. Although it still isn’t clear if the AI-powered deepfake calls had an actual effect on voter turnout, Public Citizen executive vice president Lisa Gilbert says the fact that AI is already being used to influence voters is enough for immediate action.
Public Citizen is a nonprofit consumer advocacy group that has been pushing for state and federal officials to regulate the use of artificial intelligence in politics. Gilbert notes that we shouldn’t wait to see how many people can be deceived by AI-powered tools such as the deepfake calls in New Hampshire.
CNN recently reported that fake audio recordings may have been used to sway elections in Slovakia, an indication that bad actors could potentially use AI to interfere with the 2024 presidential elections. The Federal Communications Commission banned AI-powered robocalls after the New Hampshire calls, but it still hasn’t ruled on the use of artificial intelligence in political ads.
A U.S. House bipartisan taskforce was recently tasked with researching different ways of regulating AI, but it is unclear if it could produce actionable results before the elections begin.
Major tech companies that are heavily involved in AI, such as Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ: META), have plenty to do to ensure that these new technologies aren’t abused by elements with wrong intentions, especially during pivotal activities such as the upcoming U.S. elections.
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