Waves of AI-generated deepfakes have been distributed in recent months in attempts to undermine elections in the United States, underscoring the need for defenses against these threats. For example, a fake video impersonating President Joe Biden is believed to have suppressed voter turnout in the New Hampshire primary, while a deepfake of Chicago mayoral candidate Paul Vallas appeared to condone police violence against citizens.
Ryan Bangert, senior vice president for strategic initiatives at Alliance Defending Freedom, tells NTD that policy is lagging in this area and that he’s advocating for watermarking and validation to help protect the public.