Adapted from Will hackers, trolls and AI deepfakes upset the 2024 election?, originally published by The Los Angeles Times.
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in generating misinformation has reached an alarming level, with the 2024 election shaping up to be a battleground for hackers, trolls, and deepfake technology. What once seemed like science fiction is now a pressing reality, as AI-generated disinformation targets voters with unparalleled precision and scale.
For Hafiz Malik, professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, the rapid evolution of deepfake technology poses an unprecedented threat to democracy. Malik, who has spent years analyzing deepfakes, emphasizes how tools that were once available only to state-sponsored enterprises are now accessible to virtually anyone. “The scale of disinformation is unimaginable. The cost of production and dissemination is minimal,” Malik said.
The Rise of AI-Generated Misinformation
Deepfakes have become a go-to tool for bad actors aiming to sow confusion and distrust. Malik points to recent cases, including a deepfake video of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky ordering his forces to surrender during Russia’s invasion, as clear examples of how AI can be weaponized.
“Truth itself will be hard to decipher,” said Drew Liebert, director of the California Initiative for Technology and Democracy. Liebert warns of scenarios where AI-generated robocalls spread false voting information to millions, potentially altering election outcomes.
Malik concurs, highlighting that deepfakes are increasingly sophisticated, with creators adding noise and distortion to make them harder to detect on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook. However, he notes that AI still struggles to perfectly replicate speech patterns, facial expressions, and emotions, which leaves detectable traces for experts like him to uncover.
A New Frontier for Disinformation
AI-generated content isn’t limited to political campaigns. It has been used to manipulate global narratives, as seen in a Chinese disinformation ploy falsely claiming the U.S. caused the 2023 Maui wildfires to test a military-grade weather weapon. Malik emphasizes that the democratization of AI tools has emboldened bad actors, allowing them to target swing states and key demographics with tailored disinformation campaigns.
“People know your preferences down to your footwear,” said former U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade, illustrating how data collected by social media platforms fuels micro-targeted disinformation. Malik agrees, noting that AI-generated messages can influence voter behavior in critical moments, such as false claims about polling place closures.
The Call for Regulation
In response to these threats, policymakers are introducing legislation to curb AI-generated disinformation. California lawmakers have proposed bills requiring watermarks and digital provenance in AI-generated content. But Malik remains skeptical of the tech industry’s commitment to solving this problem. “I cannot believe that multibillion- and trillion-dollar companies are unable to solve this problem,” he said. “Their business model is about more shares, more clicks, more money.”
While some measures, like Meta and Google’s pledges to label AI-generated political content, are a step in the right direction, Malik argues that they are far from sufficient. He emphasizes the need for robust detection tools and greater accountability from social media platforms.
A Glimpse into the Future
Despite its limitations, Malik predicts that AI technology will continue to improve, potentially making deepfakes indistinguishable from reality. “Things that were impossible a few years back are possible now,” he said. However, he remains optimistic that with the right tools and public awareness, the impact of AI-driven disinformation can be mitigated.
The stakes are high as we approach the 2024 election. Whether through legislative action, technological innovation, or grassroots efforts to educate the public, combating AI-generated disinformation will require a coordinated, all-hands-on-deck approach. Link to the article: https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2024-04-30/will-a-i-deepfake-videos-and-robocalls-threaten-the-2024-election
