Artificial Intelligence and Potential Threats to US Elections

Artificial intelligence (AI) tools can be used, and increasingly are being used, to design and spread fraudulent or deceptive political communications that are incredibly realistic, infringing on voters' fundamental right to make informed decisions at the ballot box. 

While disinformation itself is not new, AI tools present a new and rapidly growing way to mislead voters about who is “speaking” through political ads, and whether the information they are seeing is real. This sort of disinformation can undermine voters' ability to assess the credibility and authenticity of the ads and other messaging they see attempting to influence their vote.  

There is also a particular concern to democracy when AI deepfakes may be used to undermine the administration of elections, including by spreading disinformation about where and how people can vote, and even who is able to vote. This directly impacts the ability of voters to participate in the democratic process, which has been seen to disproportionately target voters of color. 

The concerns raised by this technology are real and growing. As we prepare for the 2024 election cycle, how will we approach these challenges without regard for partisanship or political gain?