Using artificial intelligence to create deceptive audio or video media in a political campaign is a crime in New Jersey under a bill that Congressional Majority Leader Louis Greenwald is about to introduce.
To illustrate the ease with which AI content can be generated, Greenwald today published an op-ed in New Jersey, arguing for a ban on “misleading AI-generated images and sounds” produced entirely by AI technology. Submitted to Grove.
“We’re dealing with something very serious here. With the fantastic scalability potential of technology comes a very real danger of abuse,” Greenwald said. “There are AI technologies that can manipulate sounds and images to make it seem like someone said something they never said. “
Greenwald entered a “simple prompt” into the AI generator. “Write an editorial from the perspective of Lou Greenwald, who is pushing a bill to ban the use of misleading AI images and sounds in political campaigns. Include historical quotes about the power of information. Ambitious. But be careful.”
According to Greenwald, the AI program used exactly these instructions to create a 390-word opinion piece articulating its position in “less than 20 seconds.”
Greenwald’s bill would allow deceptive audio or video media if a candidate “willfully or recklessly distributes deceptive audio or video media for the purpose of misleading voters with false information about the candidate or election.” allow candidates to be prosecuted for disorderly conduct. “
Instead, we’d like to include a disclaimer that reads, “This ad contains images or audio that has been manipulated.”
The proposal would allow a candidate “whose voice or likeness appears in deceptive audio or video media” to seek civil damages as the person distributing the message.
“I hope we can start a meaningful discussion about how to take advantage of the best aspects of this amazing growth of technology while limiting potential harm,” Greenwald said. His article makes perfectly clear how and why he used AI. “I don’t see the need for me to suggest how it could be abused in political campaigns that would destroy our democratic process.”
