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The AI-driven misinformation fears were unfounded and had a minimal impact on the election of 2024.
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Google, OpenAI and other companies limited the outputs of their election software to avoid potential misinformation.
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Perplexity’s live election hub, in partnership with AP, attracted more than 4 million views. This ensured real-time updates.
As the U.S. 2024 election season ended, fears that deepfakes generated by AI would influence voters were largely unfulfilled. Experts predicted that artificial intelligence will significantly influence voter perceptions over the past year. However, Election Day saw very little disruption from AI-driven misinformation.
The number of deepfakes related to elections was unexpectedly low, despite advances in AI capabilities. Even AI leaders such as Vitalik Buterin were surprised by the low number of deepfakes that occurred during this election cycle.
AI Companies Take Care to Avoid Misinformation During Elections
According to a Bloomberg report leading AI companies have implemented preventive measures in order to reduce the risk for misinformation. Google’s chatbot is not allowed to discuss live election results in order to avoid inaccurate information. OpenAI’s ChatGPT also advised users to rely only on verified news sources such as Reuters for election updates.
While some companies chose to be cautious, others took a more proactive approach. Perplexity, a startup AI search engine, partnered up with the Associated Press to provide real-time insights into elections. The hub reported 4 million page views in a single hour.
Read Also: AI’s Deepfake Invokes Warning: UK Proposes New Rules
Perplexity’s collaboration with Associated Press enabled the platform to pull real-time election data and provide updates via a dedicated information center. This was a responsible and innovative way to engage with users during the election.
Deepfake Rumors Fail as Election Day Passes Easily
Katie Harbath is a former Meta director of public policy who now advises AI firms. She noted that AI-related issues were minimal in comparison to the scrutiny social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter faced in 2016. There were some deepfakes, and there were inaccuracies with foreign-language content. However, their impact was minimal.
The cautious strategies adopted in the AI industry reflect a deliberate attempt to balance technological innovation and public trust. This election marked a pivotal moment for generative AI. It showcased its potential, while minimizing risks.
