Microsoft is about to highlight a growing threat to global democracy: deepfakes generated by artificial intelligence.
The tech company will host a lunch at the Drake Hotel on Monday during the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at the United Center in Chicago. The event will focus on the risks posed by AI-manipulated images, videos, and audio in the political sphere.
Microsoft issues a timely warning amid recent deepfake incidents in politics According to an August 18 report, Ginny Badanes, General Manager of Microsoft’s Democracy Forward Program, emphasized the global nature of the challenge posed by AI-generated misleading content.
Beyond the upcoming U.S. elections, recent incidents worldwide highlight the urgent need to address AI-driven misinformation, according to Badanes.
One alarming case occurred during the 2023 Chicago mayoral race when candidate Paul Vallas was targeted by a deepfake audio that circulated on social media.
The artificial voice, mimicking Vallas, endorsed extreme police violence in an attempt to discredit the former Chicago Public Schools Superintendent.
Similarly, in the recent Slovak parliamentary elections, an AI-generated audio recording in which one of the leading candidates supposedly boasted about rigging the election went viral and may have contributed to the candidate’s narrow defeat.
In addition to informing attendees at the Drake Hotel event, Microsoft will focus on empowering women, who, according to Badanes, are disproportionately targeted by deepfakes and online harassment.
Microsoft’s training will also include techniques for identifying AI-generated deceptive content and provide tools to prevent its misuse. To combat misinformation, Microsoft offers free tools to political campaigns, including content integrity markers that can be embedded in official images and videos, helping the public distinguish between authentic and manipulated media.
The impact of AI on the current U.S. presidential race and the regulatory challenges for tech companies.
The issue of AI-generated content has already influenced the current U.S. presidential race.
Former President Donald Trump recently claimed that AI was used to manipulate an image of the crowd surrounding Vice President Kamala Harris at a Michigan airport.
Additionally, a fake photo supposedly showing Secret Service agents smiling during an alleged assassination attempt against Trump circulated online.
Although Microsoft aims to educate and provide tools to combat deepfakes, the company is not immune to scrutiny.
In May, the European Commission expressed concern about Bing’s AI functions, including its image generator and chatbot, which could violate the EU’s Digital Services Act.
The Commission requested additional documentation from Microsoft on the risks posed by these AI tools, highlighting the complex landscape tech companies face in addressing AI-related challenges.
By: Nestor Castillo, ForAllTechNews Director