AI-Generated Robocall Impersonating Biden Seeks to Suppress Voter Turnout in New Hampshire Primary
A sophisticated robocall employing artificial intelligence to mimic President Joe Biden’s voice has surfaced in New Hampshire, aiming to dissuade voters from participating in the state’s primary election. The call, received by numerous voters on Sunday, two days before the crucial primary, begins with the president’s signature phrase, "What a bunch of malarkey," before falsely claiming that voting in Tuesday’s primary would prevent individuals from casting a ballot in the November general election. The deceptive message further asserts that voting in the primary would only aid Republicans in their efforts to re-elect Donald Trump. This misinformation campaign has prompted an immediate investigation by the New Hampshire attorney general’s office, raising concerns about the escalating use of AI in election interference.
The White House has unequivocally confirmed that President Biden did not authorize or record the call, emphasizing the growing threat posed by deepfake technology, particularly in the lead-up to the November presidential election. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre underscored the president’s awareness of the risks associated with deepfakes, highlighting how these manipulated media, combined with misinformation, can be amplified by rapidly evolving technologies. While Biden is not actively campaigning in New Hampshire and his name won’t appear on the primary ballot due to his focus on South Carolina as the first official primary contest, his allies are actively encouraging write-in votes for the president.
New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella has condemned the robocall as an illegal attempt to disrupt and suppress voter participation, urging voters to completely disregard its content. This incident underscores the intensifying anxieties surrounding the proliferation of generative AI, a technology capable of creating realistic text, photos, and videos in response to user prompts. While generative AI holds immense potential, it also carries the risk of job displacement and, as demonstrated by this case, the potential for election interference.
The use of AI to spread misinformation in elections is not a new phenomenon. Instances of AI-generated disinformation campaigns have been documented in elections worldwide, from Slovakia to Taiwan. Even in the UK, a deepfake audio clip purporting to capture Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer making derogatory remarks about party staff was circulated on the first day of the Labour Party conference. This latest incident involving the impersonation of President Biden highlights the growing sophistication and accessibility of deepfake technology, making it a potent tool for malicious actors seeking to undermine democratic processes.
Experts warn that this is likely not the last instance of AI being weaponized to manipulate elections. Arshin Adib-Moghaddam, a professor at SOAS, University of London, stresses that AI systems are becoming increasingly adept at creating highly realistic deepfakes, with simple voiceover manipulations now readily achievable online, even for free. Prof. Adib-Moghaddam argues that the malicious use of AI technology represents the most significant threat to democracy and human security, exceeding even the impact of the Cambridge Analytica scandal.
The ability of AI to process personal data and generate highly targeted propaganda raises serious concerns about the future of free and fair elections. As generative AI becomes more sophisticated and accessible, the potential for its misuse in political campaigns will only increase. The incident in New Hampshire serves as a stark warning of the challenges ahead, demanding proactive measures to combat the spread of AI-generated disinformation and protect the integrity of democratic processes. The need for effective regulation and public awareness campaigns to counter the threat of deepfakes and other forms of AI-driven manipulation has become increasingly urgent.