WASHINGTON D.C., DC — As the 2024 presidential election approaches, lawmakers have their eyes on one particular contender - AI.
Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon will testify Wednesday in front of a U.S. Senate committee about that exact topic. Since people can use AI to create convincing deep-fake videos and photos of politicians, he voiced concerns about how it could impact the outcome of elections.
So, just how convincing are deep fakes? Here's a video of activist Greta Thunburg as posted by X user DeepFakeAI:
Simon said the concept of spreading misinformation has been an issue in the past, but now it comes in a different form.
"AI is not necessarily a new threat but it is a new way to amplify old threats," Simon said. "Bad stuff, bad facts out there about what the rules of the road are for elections."
Minnesota lawmakers are also helping Secretary Simon fight against disinformation and potential election interference.
Governor Tim Walz signed a bill into law in May making it a crime for a person to knowingly create - or even share - a deepfake that's intended to influence an election within 90 days of an election.
Simon said it's all about media literacy. Be skeptical and seek trusted sources.
The Secretary of State's website posts election information such as race results, polling places and voting rights. The website also has a ballot look-up, where you can find what races will be on your ballot.
If you see a viral video that you think might be fake, go to websites such as Snopes, Poynter, and Associated Press. These sites post fact-checking articles with research into each source.
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