WASHINGTON (AP) — At first glance, photos circulating online show former President Donald Trump surrounded by groups of smiling and laughing black people who look nothing out of the ordinary, but close. The viewer is telling this.
The strange lighting and more perfect details give clues to the fact that they were all created using artificial intelligence. The photos, which have nothing to do with the Trump campaign, have surfaced. Trump is trying to win over black voters. Polls show that they are loyal to President Joe Biden.
The fake images highlighted in a recent BBC investigation provide further evidence to support warnings that the use of AI-generated images will increase as November’s general election approaches. Experts said they highlight the danger that any group — Latinos, women, older male voters — can be targeted with Lifetime images. Misguided and confused As well as demonstrating the need for regulation around the technology.
In a report published this week, researchers at the nonprofit Center for Countering Digital Hat used several popular AI programs to show how easy it is to create. Realistic deepfakes can do Fool the voters. The researchers were able to produce images Trump meeting with Russian workers, Biden stuffing ballot boxes and armed militia members at polling places, although many of these AI programs say they have rules prohibiting such content.
The center analyzed some of the more recent slurs about Trump and black voters and determined that at least one was originally created as a satire but is now being used by Trump supporters to fuel his support among black voters. Being shared as evidence.
Social media platforms and AI companies Should do more Imran Ahmed, CEO and founder of the center, said to protect consumers from the harmful effects of AI.
Ahmed said, “If a picture is worth a thousand words, it’s the dangerously sensitive image-making, mainstream social media with desperate content moderation efforts, bad actors out to mislead voters.” represents one of the most powerful tools we’ve ever seen,” Ahmed said. . “This is a wake-up call to AI companies, social media platforms and lawmakers – act now or risk American democracy.”
The photos raised alarm on both the right and the left that they could mislead people about the former president’s support among African Americans. Some in Trump’s orbit have expressed dismay at the circulation of the fake photos, saying the fabricated scenes hurt the Republican’s outreach to black voters.
“If you see a picture of Trump with black people and you don’t post it on an official campaign or surrogate page, it didn’t happen,” said Deante Johnson, president of the Black Conservative Federation. That the Trump campaign will have to use AI to demonstrate its black support.”
Experts expect additional efforts to use AI-powered deepfakes to target specific voter blocs in key swing states, such as Latinos, women, Asian Americans and older conservatives, or any Also about other populations that it is hoped the campaign may attract, mislead or frighten. with Dozens of countries are holding elections. There are challenges faced by Deepfax this year. A global problem.
In January, voters in New Hampshire received a robocall impersonating Biden’s voice, saying they would be disqualified from voting in the general election if they voted in that state’s primary. . Later political advisor Admitted to making robocalls.What may be the first known attempt to use AI to interfere in a US election.
Such materials may have a corrosive effect even when not believed, According to a study from Feb Stanford University researchers examine the potential impact of AI on black communities. When people realize they can’t trust the photos they see online, they can start. Ignore legitimate sources of information..
“As AI-generated content becomes more popular and harder to distinguish from human-generated content, individuals may become more skeptical and mistrustful of the information they receive,” the researchers wrote.
Even if it doesn’t succeed in fooling a large number of voters. AI-generated content Voting, candidates, and elections can make it difficult for anyone to separate fact from fiction, which undermines trust in democracy by discounting legitimate sources of information and widening political polarization. .
While false claims about candidates and elections are nothing new, AI makes producing life-like images, video and audio faster, cheaper and easier than ever before. When released on social media platforms like TikTok, Facebook or X, AI deepfakes can reach millions at first. Tech companiesGovernment officials or legitimate news organizations are also aware of their existence.
“AI has easily picked up on misinformation and moved quickly,” said Joe Paul, a business executive and advocate who has worked to expand digital access among communities of color. Paul notes that black communities often have “this history of mistrust” with larger institutions, including politics and the media, which both target black communities with public narratives about them as well as fact-checking communities. Makes it more suspicious to inform.
Digital literacy and critical thinking skills are a defense against AI-generated disinformation, Paul said. “The goal is to empower people to critically evaluate the information they find online. The ability to think critically is a lost art in all communities, not just black communities.