How AI deepfakes test voter confidence and election integrity

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With more than 60 countries holding elections, 2024 is becoming a record year for voting. But artificial intelligence threatens to undermine this democratic wave with audio and images that may look real, but are fake.

Often, AI deepfakes are meant purely to entertain. Others, however, aim to sway elections and diminish trust in democracy.

Why We Wrote This

Artificial intelligence fraud has popped up in elections around the world this year, including America’s upcoming presidential election. These deepfakes are often meant to amuse, but they also aim to sway elections and sow division.

Since last fall, deepfakes have turned up in elections in Slovakia, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Turkey, the United Kingdom, France, India, and elsewhere.

In the United States presidential election, one of the first deepfakes to gain attention was a robocall urging Democrats not to vote in the New Hampshire primary. Since then, fake images have circulated depicting former President Donald Trump dancing with an underage girl, Vice President Kamala Harris in a communist uniform, and singer Taylor Swift endorsing Mr. Trump. Ms. Swift backed Ms. Harris.

Researchers say AI has not been effective in swaying elections – at least not yet. Attention to deepfakes this election cycle should help voters discern what is real and what isn’t.

“The more [officials] see the potential impact, the more they’re going to allocate resources towards countermeasures,” says Siwei Lyu, a computer science professor at the University at Buffalo. “I’m cautiously optimistic.”

With more than 60 countries – accounting for nearly half the world’s population – holding elections, 2024 is turning out to be a record year for voting. Artificial intelligence threatens to undermine this democratic wave with audio and images that may look realistic, but are fake.

Often, these AI deepfakes are meant purely to entertain, lampooning one candidate or another. But others are intended to sway elections, deepen political divisions, and diminish trust in democracy itself. 

Here’s a look at what has happened so far, and where the technology might be headed.

Why We Wrote This

Artificial intelligence fraud has popped up in elections around the world this year, including America’s upcoming presidential election. These deepfakes are often meant to amuse, but they also aim to sway elections and sow division.

How has AI been used in this election cycle?

The phenomenon first popped up in a big way in Slovakia’s elections last fall. A deepfake audio of an interview with pro-
European leader Michal Šimečka presented him supposedly bragging about rigging the election and proposing to raise the price of beer. The manipulated audio went viral, and Mr. Šimečka’s party, though leading in the polls, lost to the party led by pro-Russian Robert Fico. Since then, deepfakes have turned up in elections in Bangladesh, Nigeria, Turkey, the United Kingdom, France, India, and elsewhere.

In the United States presidential election, one of the first instances of manipulation to gain national attention was a January robocall, ostensibly from President Joe Biden, urging Democrats not to vote in the New Hampshire primary. The prank’s funder, a Democrat, said he did it as a warning that AI is a threat to elections. Since then, fake images have circulated depicting former President Donald Trump dancing with an underage girl, Vice President Kamala Harris wearing a communist uniform, and singer Taylor Swift endorsing Mr. Trump. Ms. Swift later endorsed Ms. Harris. 

How effective has the AI been? 

Not enough to sway elections, say researchers who have studied the issue, at least not yet. Even in Slovakia’s case, some recent commentary has suggested that the factors behind Mr. Fico’s victory may be broader than a simple deepfake.  

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