Navigating AI-Driven Disinformation in the 2024 Election: A Guide for Voters

The use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) to create misleading content aimed at voters is a growing concern for the 2024 elections. This technology enables the production of highly realistic fake images, videos, and audio clips that could influence voters’ opinions under false pretenses.

Historically, misinformation has been a part of elections, but generative AI introduces a new level of threat by enhancing the ability to create convincing digital falsehoods. This evolution demands that voters become familiar with new techniques for identifying fake content.

Initially, the public was encouraged to spot deepfakes by looking for anomalies such as distorted body parts or inconsistent lighting. However, as AI technology has advanced, these signs have become less reliable, making it harder for individuals to distinguish between real and fake content.

In response to these challenges, some AI and social media platforms have started to implement measures to track the origin and alterations of content. Despite these efforts, there remain significant loopholes that can be exploited to deceive voters, such as the removal of these markers or the inconsistent application of these measures across platforms.

Voters are advised to adopt a critical mindset when evaluating political content. This includes verifying information through reputable fact-checking organizations, being wary of sensational or emotionally charged content, and avoiding reliance on AI-generated information for election news. Additionally, voters should exercise caution when sharing political content that could have been generated by AI.

The article also highlights the limitations of relying on visual cues to detect AI-generated content, as AI technology continues to improve. Instead, voters should pay attention to labels indicating manipulated content and be aware of the limitations of “content provenance” information, which tracks the history of digital content but is not yet widely adopted.

Voters are cautioned against over-relying on AI detection tools due to their current limitations and are advised to be skeptical of information obtained from AI-integrated search engines and chatbots, which have been shown to produce inaccurate election information.

Ultimately, while technology companies and governments have a role to play in addressing these challenges, voters can protect themselves and others from AI-generated misinformation by adopting the strategies outlined above.

This article is part of the “AI and Elections” collection from the Brennan Center for Justice, a nonpartisan law and policy institute dedicated to building a democratic, just, and free America.