With the introduction of generative AI, there have been concerns about its use in various national elections. As a result, there have been many who warn against the potential negative effects of AI on elections and their outcomes. Foreign entities including state actors could use AI for purposes of malintent. Domestically, these advanced technologies could spread disinformation through a variety of ways, which has heightened AI concerns in politics and the ultimate outcomes of these elections. Therefore, a current assessment of how AI is affecting the U.S. presidential race is worthwhile.
Despite the negative press and worrisome AI concerns in politics, not all is bad. In fact, campaigns have used generative AI in a number of ways of which many are beneficial and constructive. At the same time, however, malicious uses have also been pursued, but not necessarily in a way originally imagined. There is no doubt that the effect of AI on elections has made some level of influence. And in some ways, these effects are undesirable and undermine the election process. But there are also opportunities to be had when it comes to using AI in elections. And these opportunities are being better recognized in the U.S. presidential election. From deepfakes, to harassment, to enhanced messaging, the effect of AI on elections have been quite varied. Defining how to optimize the good while avoiding the bad will be essential as AI continues to evolve.
The Downside of AI in Elections
There are certainly reasons for the AI concerns in politics and in the U.S. presidential election. It is well appreciated that generative AI can create some pretty impressive deepfakes. These fake images, videos, and other content creations can trick people into believing something happened when it didn’t. In politics, bad actors and political rivals can thus use these deepfakes in a variety of ways. These include undermining opponents’ integrity, honesty, and values. They also involve embarrassing others through memes and promoting false propaganda. In essence, the negative effect of AI on elections relates to spreading misinformation in an effort to gain advantage. And in the process, this undermines the integrity of the election process as a whole.
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There have been several instances where such negative uses of AI have threatened the election process in the U.S. In the past, fake audio messages of President Biden were used to instruct voters not to vote. In other instances, deepfake videos showcase election workers interfering with election integrity. These are of course falsehoods, but they can serve to fuel disputes and polarize voters. At the same time, AI concerns in politics involve hacking and cybersecurity attacks. This may occur as a result of foreign adversaries with Russia and Iran having been identified in past events. AI might also assist in writing code that facilitates such hacks and introduces malware. These are serious worries as it relates to the U.S. presidential election, especially given how tight the race has become.
The Brighter Side of AI in Politics
While AI concerns in politics and in elections are primarily negative, there are some positive developments as well. In the U.S. presidential election, both campaigns have leveraged generative AI to their advantage. For one, AI can better target key audiences and provide important messages that promote specific political viewpoints. By allowing greater precision in these targets, efforts become both more effective and efficient. These effects of AI on elections also provide voters with better information on which to base their opinions. Thus, in addition to risking deepfakes and misinformation, AI also allows more effective outreach of accurate insights. In this way, AI can be a significant asset in voter education and the improved use of limited campaign resources.
There are additional positive effects of AI in elections and campaigns as well. AI is now being used to streamline voter registrations and in administering voting procedures. Specifically, AI can quickly determine voting eligibility, count ballot results, and detect aberrancies. And it can be used to enhance cybersecurity protections including an ability to perform vulnerability testing. This doesn’t mean that there shouldn’t be AI concerns in politics about its use. But these opportunities with AI demonstrate there’s as much positive impacts as potential negative ones. Going into the U.S. presidential election, this was not as readily appreciated as it is now.
Learning from the U.S. Presidential Election
While heightened AI concerns in politics existed throughout the U.S. presidential election, overall, these worries haven’t become actual problems. Deepfakes have definitely occurred throughout the campaigns. These generative AI creations have also come from multiple sources including foreign actors, supporters, and campaigns themselves. But what’s notable about these deepfakes is that they’re easy to recognize thus far. As a result, memes and other false accounts are being used more as satire and commentary to make a point rather than to trick viewers. That doesn’t mean they still don’t have an impact or influence. But the influence is obvious rather than being covert. Cybersecurity hacks have taken place, but whether AI was used in this regard has not yet been determined.
Notably, campaigns are leveraging advanced technologies and benefitting from the effect of AI in elections. Enhanced efficiencies and resource use best define the major impacts of AI in the current U.S. presidential election. This would support the idea that AI will become an essential tool for the future for political candidates. At the same time, however, continued advances in AI could still pose negative threats supporting AI concerns in politics now. Developing safeguards against disinformation, hacks, and deepfakes will continue to be important as a result. For now, it would seem constructive opportunities for AI in politics are outweighing the negative effects. This may not always be the case, which is why its abuse must be monitored and addressed.
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