The Impact of AI-Generated Robocalls on Democratic Party Members

Recently, a robocall impersonating President Joe Biden has prompted New Hampshire Democratic Party members not to vote in the upcoming primary. The call stirred controversy and concerns about the potential manipulation of democratic processes through AI technology.

Incident Details

• The AI-generated robocall featured a dismissive phrase associated with the President and encouraged Democrats to save their votes for the November election.
• Prominent New Hampshire Democrat Kathy Sullivan has called for the prosecution of those responsible and is determined to uncover the individuals behind the call.
• New Hampshire Attorney General, John Formella, has urged voters to disregard the call’s contents.

Broader Context

• Similar incidents of AI manipulation in political campaigns have prompted calls for federal regulation. OpenAI recently suspended the developer of a ChatGPT-powered bot that impersonated a Democratic candidate.
• Advocacy groups like Public Citizen are pushing for the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to regulate AI use in campaign ads, highlighting concerns about deepfakes and AI-generated misinformation.
• State lawmakers are considering bills to address the potential chaos AI could cause in elections, indicating a broader recognition of the vulnerability of democratic processes to AI manipulation.

Conclusion

The deepfake call and politician-impersonating chatbot have intensified calls for swift action to address the potential chaos AI could cause in elections. With concerns growing about the vulnerability of democratic processes to AI manipulation, the incident raises questions about the need for comprehensive regulation and safeguards in a crucial election year.