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Microsoft is set to shine a spotlight on a growing threat to global democracy featuring AI-generated deepfakes.
The tech giant will host a luncheon at The Drake Hotel on Monday during the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at Chicago’s United Center. The focus will be on the dangers posed by deceptive AI-created images, videos, and audio in the political sphere.
Microsoft’s Timely Warning and Recent Deepfake Incidents in Politics
According to an August 18 report, Ginny Badanes, general manager of Microsoft’s Democracy Forward Program, highlighted the global nature of the challenge posed by deceptive content generated by AI.
Beyond the upcoming US election, recent global incidents highlight the pressing need to tackle AI-driven misinformation, according to Badanes.
At Microsoft, we had insightful conversations with Ginny Badanes, Senior Director of the Democracy Forward Initiative, about protecting state and local elections. We explored how the Democracy Forward Initiative of Microsoft partners with governments, non-profits, academia, and… pic.twitter.com/SApbmjaZqU
— Abdirashid Ibrahim (@cabdirashed) July 26, 2024
A disturbing example was Chicago’s 2023 mayoral race, which saw candidate Paul Vallas targeted by an audio deepfake posted on social media.
The artificial voice, mimicking Vallas, endorsed extreme police violence in an attempt to discredit the former Chicago Public Schools chief.
Similarly, in the last Slovakian parliamentary election, an AI-generated audio recording purportedly of a top candidate bragging about rigging the election went viral and may have contributed to the candidate’s narrow defeat.
Besides educating attendees at The Drake Hotel, Microsoft’s event will primarily focus on empowering women, who Badanes notes are disproportionately targeted by deepfakes and online harassment.
Microsoft’s training will also teach techniques to identify deceptive AI 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.
AI’s Impact on Current US Presidential Race and Regulatory Challenges for Tech Companies
The issue of AI-generated content in politics has already made its mark on the current US presidential race.
Former President Donald Trump recently claimed that AI was used to manipulate an image of Vice President Kamala Harris’s crowd at a Michigan airport.
Additionally, a deepfake photo circulated online purporting to show Secret Service agents smiling during an alleged assassination attempt on Trump.
😂😂😂🤦🏻♂️
Even the Secret Service is laughing at what a big joke it was,
I mean, come on do you actually think if it was an actual legit assassination attempt on Donald Trump the Secret Service would leave his face wide open to be targeted all while they were smiling and laughing. pic.twitter.com/XNL1oDUlG4— The Original Acadian Shepherd (@Bootsonstrong) July 14, 2024
While Microsoft aims to educate and provide tools to combat deepfakes, the company is not immune to scrutiny.
In May, the European Commission raised concerns about Bing’s AI features, including its image generator and chatbot, potentially breaching the EU’s Digital Services Act.
The Commission requested additional documentation from Microsoft regarding the risks these AI tools pose, highlighting the complex landscape tech companies must navigate in addressing AI-related challenges.
