Many of us have seen videos on social media poking fun at absurd scenarios and questioning whether its AI or real, but when it comes to political campaign ads how easily can you tell especially if they’re not marked?
Political science professor Grant Reeher says while some material is easy to recognize others aren’t, and the effort to regulate these ads will run behind the advances.
“I think in terms of AI and politics, it’s going to be a bit of the Wild West, and we’re just going to have to be ready for that,” he said.
As a warning ahead of Election Day, New York Attorney General Letitia James has released an updated guide “to help New Yorkers spot, avoid, and report election misinformation created by artificial intelligence.”
In the guide, voters are warned to “consult with New York state and local election boards for information about where to vote and for checking voter eligibility.”
Also, not to “rely on chatbots to answer questions about elections of voting.”
And, “if you come across information from unofficial sources… verify it with official sources.”
In a statement, James said in part:
“AI has made it easier than ever for bad actors to spread convincing lies about candidates and about when, where, and how to vote, and chatbots can confidently give voters the wrong answer.”
“Two years ago, you could tell,” said Professor Colleen Kirk, D.P.S. of the New York Institute of Technology. “Everyone had six fingers in a photo. You can’t tell anymore.”
Kirk has researched the influence AI technology has on people.
“If people discover later that a politician used AI to generate something, an ad or message or something like that, I think they’re going to feel even more betrayed because [what] if they originally thought it was authentic,” she said.
New York does require AI content to be labeled. If you come across something you think is AI and it isn’t labeled, you can file an online complaint with the AG’s office.
If you find AI misinformation on social media platforms, the AG’s office recommends reporting it on that specific platform. Most have guidance on how to do that.