New York AG Sounds The Alarm On AI-Generated Election Misinformation

NEW YORK — Artificial intelligence technology now has the ability to create videos, images and recordings that aren't at all what they seem. The state's top law enforcement official wants to make sure New Yorkers are able to recognize when that technology is being used to deceive.

New York Attorney General Letitia James released a guide, called "Protecting New Yorkers from AI-Generated Election Misinformation," to help identify and report misinformation generated by artificial intelligence (AI) about the upcoming November elections.

Artificial intelligence tools can be used to create fake or misleading videos, images, or audio that impersonate people or candidates and spread misinformation to try to impact voters, James's office said. Fake content created by artificial intelligence can be used to cause confusion and, when spread rapidly and widely through social media platforms, can have a profound impact on voters’ actions, according to the officials.

The guide released by James is intended to offer New Yorkers tips on how to spot fake content, report it, and seek accurate information about the elections.

"New Yorkers deserve to be well-informed, not misinformed, about their choices for the upcoming November elections," James said. "AI-created deepfakes that spread lies about candidates, policy proposals, and even where New Yorkers can access the polls all represent a dangerous threat to democracy. The guide my office created will be a useful resource to help voters better identify AI-generated misinformation, and to empower them to arrive at the polls with accurate information about the elections and the candidate they wish to support. I urge New Yorkers to be more careful about the sources they use and the information they consume about the elections."

The guide includes examples of how AI-generated materials can be used to spread misinformation and sow doubt into the electoral process. The guide also includes tips on how to spot AI-generated deepfakes.

To protect New Yorkers from AI-generated misinformation related to the elections, Attorney General urges New Yorkers to start taking steps now.

• Consult New York state and local boards of elections for information and questions about where, when, or how to vote, as well as your eligibility to vote. The OAG will operate an Election Protection Hotline, which voters can contact to ask questions and file complaints during the voting period.
• Do not rely on chatbots to answer questions about elections or voting.
• If you encounter social media content that you think is a deepfake, report it on the platform.
• If you come across information about elections or voting from unofficial sources, verify it with official sources and encourage others to do the same.
• Be skeptical of images, audio, and video circulating online about the elections, candidates, or their campaigns. If you see emotionally charged, sensational, and surprising content, be especially cautious. Remember that it may be fake.
• Do not share content that you suspect may be fake unless you can verify that it is real.

The AG warned that if voters receive a phone call with information about voting or elections, they should be mindful that the information may be inaccurate or fake. Remember to verify information with official sources.

James urged New Yorkers seeing misleading or inaccurate information about the elections, particularly misinformation concerning the time, place and manner of voting, to contact her office by filing an online complaint. When submitting the complaint form, select "Other" and enter "Election Misinformation" for the complaint topic, and include a copy of the misleading or inaccurate content.