The Huge Risks From AI In an Election Year

On the eve of New Hampshire's primary election, a flood of robocalls exhorted Democratic voters to sit out a write-in campaign supporting President Joe Biden during the state's presidential primary. An AI-generated voice on the line matched the uncanny cadence and signature catchphrase-- ("malarkey!")--characteristic to Biden. From that call to fake creations envisioning a cascade of calamities under Biden's watch to AI deepfakes of a Slovakian candidate for country leader pondering vote rigging and raising beer prices, AI is making its mark on elections worldwide. Against this backdrop, governments and several tech companies are taking some steps to mitigate risks--European lawmakers just approved a watershed law, and as recently as February tech companies signed a pledge at the Munich Security Conference. But much more needs to be done to protect American democracy.