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AI deepfake ads grow more popular in US midterm campaigns, blurring truth

Al Jazeera

Bruce Blakeman, a Republican who is running for governor of New York, released campaign ads featuring Zohran Mamdani, New York City mayor, and Kathy Hochul, the state's governor, gardening together and collaborating to raise prices for residents. Another ad features Hochul talking about hiking tolls and fares so people cannot afford to drive or take the subway. A spate of AI-generated ads that are obviously fake but grab voter attention have been a feature of campaigns in the lead up to the pivotal United States midterm elections on November 3. While regulation has focused on labelling AI deepfakes that could mislead voters, it is "slopaganda" - or identifiably fake ads - that mark this campaign season, says Scott Babwah Brennen, director of New York University's Center on Technology Policy and co-author of a recent report, Political Slopaganda. Political candidates and their supporters have spent more than $80m to make more than 164 AI-based ads this election season, according to the Wesleyan Media Project, a non-partisan election advertising tracker.


Madison Square Garden's James Dolan Is Spending Big on New York's Governor Race

WIRED

Madison Square Garden's James Dolan Is Spending Big on New York's Governor Race James Dolan has put surveillance at the center of his sports and entertainment empire. Now he's getting involved in GOP politics by backing a candidate who supports Flock, ICE, and AI data centers. Bruce Blakeman, the Republican nominee for New York governor, promised last November to erect a wall of spy gear, license plate readers, and biometric surveillance between the city and the suburbs. He has since received millions of dollars in donations from the family and businesses of James Dolan, the owner of Madison Square Garden, where a network of cameras capture the faces of (nearly) every patron who walks in the arena and corporate security forces hunt for critics of the boss. Dolan's support of Blakeman, the executive of suburban Nassau County, could be seen as something of a counterintuitive move in a state long run by Democrats, and in a year when political surveys are picking up indications of a blue wave.


Al Qaeda leader Ayman Al Zawahiri killed in drone strike: 9/11 families react

FOX News

A senior administration official confirmed Zawahri's death to Fox News, saying the U.S. conducted a counterterrorism operation against "a significant al Qaeda target in Afghanistan." FILE - Osama bin Laden, left, and Ayman Al Zawahiri. "This is a significant step forward and is particularly meaningful to the 9/11 community as we continue our years-long battle for justice and accountability," 9/11 Justice said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital. "We urge President Biden to continue to stand with the 9/11 community and all those who seek justice by holding Saudi Arabia accountable for the 9/11 attacks," 9/11 Justice said. This image taken from a video issued by As-Sahab, al Qaeda's media branch, on April 5, 2022, shows al Qaeda leader Ayman Al Zawahiri speaking.


Walmart To Test Self-Driving Cars For Grocery Pickup Service

NPR Technology

Waymo self-driving cars will be used to chauffeur "early riders" to and from their Walmart online grocery pickup location. Waymo self-driving cars will be used to chauffeur "early riders" to and from their Walmart online grocery pickup location. The future is here and soon it will be toting grocery shoppers around Phoenix. Walmart and Waymo -- formerly Google's self-driving car project -- announced on Wednesday the launch of a pilot program that will allow consumers to make their grocery pickups with the help of an autonomous vehicle. Participants in Waymo's "early riders" program will be able to take a driverless shuttle service to and from Walmart whenever they purchase groceries from Walmart.com using the retailer's online grocery pickup service.