TL;DR:
- AIandYou, a nonprofit, plans to use AI-generated misinformation to educate voters about AI’s impact on the 2024 election.
- The campaign includes traditional outreach, informative videos, and an online AI news database.
- Deepfake ads, replicating AI-generated content, will be deployed to familiarize voters with deceptive AI media.
- The initiative targets young people of color, women, and micro-influencers to disseminate AI literacy.
- AIandYou aims to raise $3 million for the campaign from apolitical groups.
- Google and Congress are taking steps to regulate AI in political advertising.
- The Federal Election Commission is considering AI regulations for campaign ads.
Main AI News:
In a bold and innovative move, a nonprofit organization, AIandYou, is gearing up to combat the potential onslaught of AI-generated misinformation in the run-up to the 2024 presidential election. With a mission deeply rooted in educating underrepresented racial and ethnic groups about artificial intelligence, AIandYou is embarking on a pioneering public awareness campaign aimed at arming voters with the knowledge they need to discern fact from fiction.
The campaign’s early stages have already begun, employing more traditional methods to foster a deeper understanding of AI-generated content. Among these efforts are the release of an informative video outlining the applications and risks of AI and the establishment of an online database containing election-related AI news and voter resources. Susan Gonzales, the founder and CEO of AIandYou, has revealed that the organization is also exploring the possibility of hosting a town hall event on AI and its implications for the upcoming election.
A pivotal component of AIandYou’s strategy is the deployment of deepfake technology in early 2024. The campaign plans to unleash its own AI-generated advertisements, serving as a kind of inoculation for voters, making them familiar with this type of content. José Villa, President of Sensis, the advertising agency collaborating on this initiative, offered an example of what these ads might entail. Picture an AI-generated video featuring President Joe Biden saying something he never actually uttered, followed by a clear disclaimer stating the content’s fictitious nature and directing viewers toward AIandYou.
This endeavor is groundbreaking, as it is the first of its kind in the lead-up to a presidential election. Susan Gonzales emphasized the importance of AI literacy in safeguarding democracy, lamenting the lack of attention given to preparing voters for encounters with AI-generated content on social media or in their mailboxes.
Concerns surrounding AI’s potential to flood the political landscape with fake content have been shared by strategists and politicians across the spectrum. While some campaigns have dabbled in AI-created videos and images, widespread usage remains limited. With minimal regulation governing AI’s use in political advertising, many experts fear that its prominence will inevitably grow.
Despite the ongoing policy discussions about AI, Gonzales, a former Facebook executive and member of the National AI Advisory Committee, underscored the necessity of shifting the focus toward voter education. The campaign’s primary target audience comprises young people of color and women, demographics projected to have a significant impact on the 2024 elections. Yet, AIandYou recognizes the imperative of educating all voters about this technology.
Young voters, in particular, spend a substantial amount of time online, where mis- and disinformation often find fertile ground. To achieve authenticity and resonance, the campaign plans to collaborate with micro-influencers—smaller social media accounts with devoted followings. José Villa explained, “We want this to come across as organic and coming from people like them.” Specific demographic targeting, such as Spanish-language ads for Hispanic voters, is also on the agenda.
AIandYou has set an ambitious fundraising goal of $3 million for this campaign and is actively seeking support from apolitical groups, including venture capitalists. While tech giants like Google have taken steps to regulate AI in political advertisements and Congress grapples with AI governance, it remains uncertain whether federal oversight will materialize in the near future. In the meantime, the Federal Election Commission is deliberating on whether to impose regulations on the use of AI in campaign ads, further highlighting the importance of AIandYou’s pioneering efforts.
Conclusion:
AIandYou’s campaign signifies a proactive response to the growing threat of AI-generated misinformation in the political landscape. By equipping voters with AI literacy, the nonprofit seeks to fortify democracy. While the market for AI literacy and regulation remains in its infancy, there’s potential for growth as the need for AI awareness and governance becomes increasingly apparent in the coming years.
