Fri, 20 September 2024 05:45:19am
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Trump and Taylor Swift: The AI Election Hype You Should not Believe—Yet
Trump and Taylor Swift: The AI Election Hype You Should not Believe—Yet
As the 2024 presidential race heats up, one thing is clear: Artificial Intelligence is already making waves. But could this election be the AI takeover everyone feared, or is it just the beginning of something much bigger?
The 2024 U.S. presidential election was expected to be dominated by Artificial Intelligence (AI), with many fearing it would become the “AI election,” where voters would struggle to distinguish between what’s real and what’s fabricated. However, the feared AI-driven misinformation blitz has yet to materialize at the scale anticipated. Despite instances of AI-generated content surfacing, experts suggest that 2024 is not shaping up to be the AI-dominated election that many predicted.
Rachel Orey, Director of the Bipartisan Policy Center’s elections project, notes that while AI-generated content has appeared, it hasn't reached the widespread usage that was initially expected. Similarly, Dave Karpf, an associate professor at George Washington University, believes that while AI's impact is present, it won’t be the defining factor of this election cycle. Instead, he suggests that AI might play a more significant role in the elections of 2028.
Despite this, AI has already made its mark on the campaign trail. Former President Donald Trump recently shared AI-generated images on his Truth Social platform, showing pop star Taylor Swift and her fans supposedly endorsing him. These fake images included Swift dressed as Uncle Sam, with a caption implying her support for Trump. Swift, however, has not endorsed any candidate in the current race, though she did endorse President Joe Biden in 2020.
This isn’t the first time Trump has circulated AI-generated content. He has previously posted a deepfake video of himself dancing with Elon Musk and an AI-generated image of Vice President Kamala Harris leading a communist rally at the Democratic National Convention. Ironically, Trump recently accused Harris of using AI to falsify crowd sizes at a campaign event—a claim that was quickly debunked as the image in question was real.
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These incidents highlight the double-edged sword that AI presents in modern elections. On one hand, it can create convincing yet entirely false narratives, leading to confusion and mistrust among voters. On the other hand, the mere existence of AI has caused some voters to question the authenticity of real events and images, further eroding trust in the democratic process.
Lee Rainie, Director of Elon University’s Imagining the Digital Future Center, warns that this erosion of trust could have serious implications for voter engagement and the perceived legitimacy of the election. As voters grow increasingly skeptical of the information they encounter, there’s a risk that AI could inadvertently undermine the very foundation of democratic participation.
However, the threat of AI has not entirely dissipated. With more than 70 days remaining until Election Day, there’s still time for malicious actors to exploit AI for voter manipulation. Orey cautions that while AI hasn’t overtaken the election yet, the possibility remains that false AI-generated content could be unleashed as voting begins, potentially causing significant disruption.
A recent incident underscores this risk: Before the New Hampshire primary, an AI-generated robocall mimicking President Biden’s voice urged listeners to disregard the primary vote, falsely suggesting that their vote would only matter in November. The company responsible for transmitting these calls was subsequently fined $1 million by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
In response to such threats, the FCC has proposed new rules requiring AI-generated robocalls and robotexts to disclose their use of AI, but these regulations could take years to implement. As the election nears, voters must remain vigilant against potential AI-driven disinformation campaigns.
As the 2024 election unfolds, the true impact of AI remains uncertain. While it hasn’t yet transformed the race into the AI-dominated event that many feared, the potential for AI to influence the outcome is still very much alive.
Key Points:
- AI's Role in 2024: Despite fears, AI hasn’t dominated the 2024 election as predicted, though it remains a presence.
- Trump and AI-Generated Content: Trump has shared multiple AI-generated images and videos, including false endorsements and doctored crowd images.
- Erosion of Trust: AI is contributing to a growing mistrust among voters, potentially harming voter engagement and election legitimacy.
- Potential for Disruption: With over 70 days until Election Day, the risk of AI-driven disinformation campaigns remains significant.
- FCC's Response: The FCC has proposed rules for AI-generated robocalls, but implementation will take time.
