Podcast Summary
Deepfakes and AI manipulation in elections: Deepfakes, created using AI, pose a significant risk to the 2024 presidential election, with undecided and new voters being the primary targets. Currently, there are no regulations or consequences for creating false information during campaigns, leaving voters vulnerable to disinformation and false narratives.
As we approach the 2024 presidential election, the use of deepfakes and other forms of artificial intelligence (AI) to create misinformation and manipulate voters is becoming increasingly accessible and prevalent. Deepfakes, which are hyper-realistic, entirely fake content pieces, can now be created by individuals using their laptops at home. While awareness and detection methods for deepfakes have improved, there are currently no regulations or consequences for creating false information during campaigns to protect voters from disinformation and false narratives. The biggest risk is that undecided and new voters, who are expected to play a critical role in deciding the election, will be targeted by these types of manipulative content. The lack of guardrails in this area is a significant concern, and it's essential for individuals to stay informed and be vigilant in identifying and rejecting false information.
AI personalizes political campaigns for individual voters: AI analyzes voter data to create customized messaging, raising concerns about false information and biases.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing political campaigns by enabling hyper-personalized messaging to voters, particularly those who are independent, undecided, or new to voting. This is a shift from the one-size-fits-all approach of past campaigns. AI can process vast amounts of voter data, including preferences, pain points, and emotions from social media posts, allowing campaigns to tailor their messages to specific voters. However, this also raises concerns about the potential spread of false information and reinforcing existing biases. Our online behavior matters, as AI learns from it to recommend content. Swing voters are likely to be targeted in close elections, and campaigns have access to microdata on voters to create specific messaging in real time. Companies running the platforms where this activity takes place also have a responsibility to ensure the integrity of the information being disseminated.
Navigating the 2024 Election: Staying Informed Amidst Deepfakes and Misinformation: Be AI literate and fact-check all information, regardless of source, to protect our democracy and ensure the integrity of our votes.
The 2024 election could be fraught with misinformation and deepfakes, making it crucial for voters to independently verify information. The lack of regulations and consequences for creating false information has made it a "free for all" situation. While private companies have responded well to rules and regulations in the past, there's not enough time for new regulations to be put in place before the election. The responsibility falls on individuals to be AI literate and fact-check information they encounter online, on TV, or in the press. Deepfakes and misinformation are not limited to the digital world, and even political commercials on TV could potentially contain deepfakes. The recent layoffs in tech companies focused on misinformation and AI ethics are a cause for concern, as they could impact the ability to combat these issues effectively. It's essential to be aware of these challenges and prioritize fact-checking to protect our democracy and ensure the integrity of our votes.
Discussions and efforts regarding AI use in campaigning: The FEC collects comments about deepfakes in campaigns, and a bipartisan bill aims to change the CDA to remove liability protection for AI-generated content. A new podcast, Million Bazillion, helps kids understand complex financial concepts.
There are ongoing discussions and efforts regarding the use of AI in campaigning, with some government initiatives underway. The Federal Election Commission has started collecting comments about using deepfakes in campaigns for deceptive purposes, and a bipartisan bill is proposed to change the Communications Decency Act to remove liability protection for AI-generated content. Meanwhile, there's a new podcast called Million Bazillion from Marketplace, designed to help kids understand complex financial concepts. It tackles questions about money, unions, gold, and more, making the world of finance more accessible and understandable for children.