It’s common knowledge that technology had a role in swaying voters in the 2016 and 2020 elections. To add an additional layer of complications to the upcoming elections in the US, AI will likely play a heavier hand. While AI has been utilized in a multitude of ways societally, there are growing concerns about the use of generative AI during this election season, which may manipulate voters and undermine the elections.
What is generative AI?
Generative AI is artificial intelligence that is capable of generating photos, written information, and other data based on models that learn and process raw data as well as through user prompts.
How can generative AI be misused in this year’s election?
For every candidate who is using AI as a cost-saving measure, there are those who can use it for more malicious purposes. While AI can be used to distinguish and exclude ineligible voters from registries as well as signature matches, it may end up suppressing voters by knowingly or unknowingly removing voters who are actually eligible.
Chatbots and algorithms can be used to drum up incorrect information to voters, which can sway voters against certain candidates and issues. In the worst-case scenario, AI can amplify hot-button issues and potentially stir up violence.
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How tech and AI companies are failing to protect election integrity
Tech companies aren’t investing in election integrity initiatives. AI companies don’t have the connections and funding to manage any risks involved with how their tools get utilized for elections. This means that there is less and less human oversight on what AI generates as well as how the AI-generated information gets used.
The very nature of the American constitution will be in direct conflict with AI during this election season as free speech is part of the very fabric of American ideals, yet preventing and stopping misinformation is crucial to ensure a fair election.
Not only is the classic mud-slinging of candidates likely, but other countries such as China, Iran, and Russia have been recently caught trying to use content created with AI to manipulate U.S. voters.
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Ways to prevent misuse of AI
Social media has undoubtedly changed the way election campaigns are run. Various platforms have their own processes in place to deal with election information and misinformation. YouTube has changed its policy and states that “We will stop removing content that advances false claims that widespread fraud, errors, or glitches occurred in the 2020 and other past US Presidential elections.”
YouTube’s parent company, Google, requires election advertisers to prominently disclose when their aids include realistic synthetic content that’s been digitally altered or generated, including by AI tools. Also, over the coming months, YouTube will require creators to disclose when they’ve created realistic altered or synthetic content and will display a label that indicates to people that the content they’re watching is synthetic.
Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, will put labels on images and ads that were made with AI. They say this is to help people know what is real and what is not, and to stop false or harmful information from spreading, especially during elections.
Additionally, several US states have passed laws regulating the use of political deepfakes, including California, Michigan, Minnesota, Texas, and Washington.
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Kurt’s key takeaways
While there will always be the potential for AI to be misused in any facet of society, it seems most alarming if it will impact our democracy. With the awareness of potential misuse by both pundits and voters alike, there is a chance that it will encourage more critical thinking by voters who will be viewing election candidates, issues, and information with a more critical eye. That can make people more apt to do their own research than just absorb what they are being ‘fed’ online or offline. Also, due to the fact that America’s election system isn’t centralized, it will be harder for AI to be misused as votes are managed at the local and county level. At the end of the day, your vote will still matter.
What are your biggest concerns regarding the use of AI during this year’s election? Do you think you’ll see or feel the impact? Let us know in the comments below.
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1 comment
One problem area in politics that surely will be exploited by those who supply the intelligence for the “Artificial Intelligence” that people assume is created from the ether or the cloud or just simply appears by magic is the assumption that America is a democracy. Ever since the Republic created by the Constitution the leftists who believe that everyone should be alike have worked to keep the word democracy alive . Nowhere in the Constitution or the Declaration of Independence is the word “democracy” mentioned. You can nit pick it to pieces and contort your brain cells endlessly, but you can’t make a democracy of a Republic. But in the Federalist Papers you will find all the reasons why we have a Republic. A democracy simply means any fraction of a % of people over 50% gets to rule over the other 49.99999999%. In a democracy, you will always have political warfare in the form of political parties, who now control who you get to vote for. This is why people hate politics but are forced to participate if they want freedom.