Using artificial intelligence (AI) to create and distribute content about political candidates is an unprecedented trend in the 2024 electoral campaigns worldwide. This phenomenon includes crafting and sharing public messages and potentially manipulating electoral processes before, during, and after voting.
The concern over AI-generated false content, such as deepfakes, is rising. The Campaign Legal Center (CLC) in the United States has warned about the hazardous impact of political ads employing AI to produce hyper-realistic fakes. These fakes can mislead the public about candidates’ claims, their stances on issues, or even the occurrence of certain events, which jeopardizes voters’ right to make informed decisions.
AI’s influence extends beyond just shaping public perception of candidates. It can also be used to disrupt the electoral process through the spread of disinformation aimed at dampening voter turnout. Malicious actors may create and disseminate convincing but false messages regarding polling locations and times or discourage turnout altogether.
For instance, ahead of the 2024 New Hampshire primary in the US, voters received AI-generated calls mimicking President Biden, which falsely urged them not to participate in the election, misleadingly suggesting they should “reserve” their votes for November’s general elections.
A reasonable voter, hearing such a message, might believe it was indeed President Biden who recorded the call and feel compelled to comply with the request, effectively risking their right to vote. This incident illustrates the potential for other forged narratives that could discourage civic participation, diminish voter competency, or falsely alarm about emergencies, leading to reduced voter turnout on election day.
AI technology opens avenues for malign actors to undermine election administration or unjustifiably cast doubt on electoral outcomes. It can easily be deployed to fabricate false images and evidence — for example, tampering with or destroying ballots — which not only erodes public trust in electoral results but can also incite violence against election administrators.
Most Important Questions:
– How can we detect and prevent AI-generated disinformation in elections?
– What measures can be implemented to protect voters’ rights to accurate information?
– How do we balance the benefits of AI in political campaigns against the risks of disinformation?
Answers to the Important Questions:
Detecting AI-generated disinformation involves developing sophisticated tools that can analyze content for signs of manipulation. Additionally, public education campaigns to raise awareness about deepfakes and promoting media literacy are key. Social media platforms and news organizations need to collaborate with technology experts to quickly identify and stop the spread of false information.
To protect voters, electoral commissions, government bodies, and social platforms must enforce strict regulations on political advertisements and the use of AI. There should be transparency mandates requiring the disclosure of AI-generated content, and consequences for disseminating malicious disinformation.
Balancing the benefits and risks requires a nuanced approach. While AI can assist in creating more engaging and targeted political campaigns, it must be used responsibly. Legislation, along with ethical guidelines for AI usage in politics, can help maintain the integrity of information shared during elections.
Key Challenges or Controversies:
– The rapid advancement of AI technology makes it difficult for regulatory frameworks to keep pace.
– There may be ethical concerns about restricting free speech when attempting to regulate AI-generated content.
– The international nature of social media complicates jurisdiction and enforcement of laws against political disinformation.
Advantages and Disadvantages:
Advantages:
– AI can help candidates better understand and reach voters with tailored messages.
– Campaigns can use AI to efficiently allocate resources and analyze voter data to improve electoral strategies.
Disadvantages:
– AI-generated disinformation undermines democratic processes and the public’s ability to make informed decisions.
– It may delegitimize elections and increase political polarization.
– The use of deepfakes and other manipulative tactics can lead to a loss of trust in the electoral system.
Related Links:
For updates on regulations and initiatives against digital disinformation, you may check the following:
– U.S. Federal Election Commission
– European Union
These links are the main domains for institutions that might have relevant measures or information regarding the battle against AI-generated disinformation in elections.
The source of the article is from the blog smartphonemagazine.nl