USA election officials are expressing growing concerns over the spread of misinformation and the misuse of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools as they gear up for the 2024 election.
In interviews conducted at the annual summer conference of the National Association of Secretaries of State, officials voiced their worries and highlighted the need for proactive measures.
“The cliché here is true,” said Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon. “You hope for the best, but plan for the worst. So, we’re planning for the worst, which is that multiple communications channels will be filled with false and misleading information.”
Misinformation and the emergence of generative AI tools to create false and misleading content were identified as significant concerns during the conference. State election officials from Michigan and Colorado emphasized the potential threats posed by AI and the risks of foreign adversaries leveraging these technologies to interfere in U.S. elections.
They specifically cited the rise of deepfakes, altered videos that utilize facial mapping and AI algorithms to manipulate real individuals’ appearances and words.
Preparations for the upcoming 2024 election raise alarm about deceptive practices and emerging risks
“We can’t necessarily put the genie back in the bottle, but we can educate citizens about how to receive that information,” stressed Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. “And it becomes much easier if there are disclaimers alongside it that says, hey, this is fake.”
The officials acknowledged the importance of public awareness and the implementation of regulations to address the misuse of AI-generated content.
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Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold established a working group within her office to assess potential risks and develop strategies to combat misinformation following the challenges faced during the 2020 presidential election.
“We’ve worked to actively combat false information, but the way we do it is by spreading copious amounts of truth,” stated Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose.
While recent court orders limited federal agencies’ involvement in addressing false or deceptive content on social media platforms, USA election officials remain committed to protecting voters’ rights and combating misinformation.
“The injunction doesn’t apply to state officials, so I’m going to keep talking to whoever the hell I want to talk to,” asserted Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes. “If you know somebody is out there lying and it hurts voters, you should be able to shut that down because that’s interfering with the voter’s right to vote.”
State election officials also emphasized the importance of experienced staff and the potential consequences of staff turnover.
Al Schmidt, Pennsylvania’s Secretary of State, highlighted the risks associated with the loss of experienced election workers and the need to avoid perceiving mistakes as deliberate or malicious acts.
“The most dangerous thing is when you lose experienced election workers, you lose institutional memory, you lose all that experience,” Schmidt explained.
The discussions at the conference underscored the challenges state election officials face as they work towards ensuring the integrity of the electoral process and countering misinformation and AI threats in preparation for the 2024 election.
By promoting accurate information, enhancing public awareness, and retaining experienced personnel, officials aim to safeguard the democratic rights of voters and maintain trust in the electoral system.
