As New Hampshire geared up for its first-in-the-nation primary, a troubling robocall circulated, urging Democrats to abstain from voting and featuring an AI-generated audio impersonation of US President Joe Biden.
The fabricated message urged residents to reserve their votes for the November election, falsely claiming that participating in the primary would benefit Republicans and potentially re-elect Donald Trump. The White House confirmed that the call was not recorded by President Biden, shedding light on the challenges posed by emerging technologies as the November presidential election approaches, as per Reuters.
2024 Election Threatened by AI Disinformation
The disinformation campaign, designed to undermine Biden, alarmed experts concerned about the rise of AI-generated content, including deep fakes. Reports suggest that the media landscape, internet, and social platforms are ill-prepared for the expected surge in falsified "fake news" content in the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election.
Researchers from the UK's University College London revealed that AI-generated audio can deceive up to 25% of listeners, emphasizing the potential impact of manipulated content on public perception.
The fake Biden, in this particular misinformation effort, inaccurately asserted an ongoing campaign to write-in his name during the New Hampshire primary, insinuating it would harm the president's chances of re-election. The robocall concluded with a phone number linked to Kathy Sullivan, prompting a flurry of calls and leading the former New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair to report the incident to the state attorney general's office.
The state attorney general's office labeled the messages as an unlawful attempt to disrupt the New Hampshire Presidential Primary Election and suppress voters, emphasizing that participation in the primary does not exclude voters from the November General Election, according to Yahoo News.
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AI Manipulation in Politics
The orchestrators behind the disinformation campaign remain unknown, but former President Trump's campaign representatives denied any involvement, while Dean Phillips, a Democratic candidate, expressed deep concern over the potential use of AI to manipulate voters.
Despite warnings about the dangers of AI manipulation, some political entities are embracing similar technologies. Dean.Bot, a chatbot created by a pro-Phillips SuperPAC, was removed from OpenAI's online store for violating API usage policies related to political campaigning. This incident raises questions about the ethical use of AI tools in political contexts.
The New Hampshire Attorney General's statement revealed an ongoing Department of Justice investigation into the AI-generated presidential robocall, urging residents to report instances of the fake Biden message. While it is challenging to determine the extent of the calls, estimates suggest that fewer than 5,000 New Hampshire voters may have received them.
Experts from companies like Nomorobo and Hiya predict a surge in robocalls during the 2024 election, fueled by advancements in AI technology. The ability to create convincing deep fakes, including audio impersonations of public figures, has made it challenging for individuals to trust incoming calls.
Despite efforts like the "STIR/SHAKEN" protocols implemented by the Federal Communications Commission, fraudsters managed to circumvent these measures in the New Hampshire phone scam, highlighting the ongoing challenges in combating deceptive tactics, Business Insider reported.
