Warren Butler’s Post

Executives from Adobe, Amazon, Google, IBM, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI and TikTok signed a pact Friday to voluntarily adopt “reasonable precautions” to prevent artificial intelligence tools from being used to disrupt democratic elections around the world. The companies aren’t committing to ban or remove deepfakes. Instead, the accord outlines methods they will use to try to detect and label deceptive AI content when it is created or distributed on their platforms. The companies will share best practices with each other and provide “swift and proportionate responses” when that content starts to spread. However, AI-generated election interference have already begun this year when AI robocalls that mimicked U.S. President Joe Biden’s voice tried to discourage people from voting in New Hampshire’s primary election last month. What do you think? Is a voluntary accord going to do enough to protect the elections? Where do you think it will be in 6 months?

A very significant step today as 20 technology companies have come together with A Tech Accord to Combat the Deceptive use of AI in 2024 Elections. This year more countries and people will vote for their elected leaders than in any year in human history. At the same time, the development of AI is racing ever faster ahead, offering extraordinary benefits but also enabling bad actors to deceive voters by creating realistic “deepfakes” of candidates and other individuals. Today, the tech sector came together at the Munich Security Conference to take a vital step forward. 20 companies - including Microsoft, LinkedIn, OpenAI, Adobe, Meta, Google, X, Amazon, Antropic, Stability AI and Tik Tok announced a new Tech Accord to Combat Deceptive Use of AI in 2024 Elections. Its goal – to combat video, audio, and images that fake or alter the appearance, voice, or actions of political candidates, election officials, and other key stakeholders. In summary the accord commitments are: ✋Prevention Researching, investing in, and/or deploying reasonable precautions to limit risks of deliberately deceptive AI Election Content being generated. ℹ️Provenance Attaching provenance signals to identify the origin of content where appropriate and technically feasible. 🕵️♀️Detection Attempting to detect Deceptive AI Election Content or authenticated content, including with methods such as reading provenance signals across platforms. 🥽Responsive Protection Providing swift and proportionate responses to incidents involving the creation and dissemination of Deceptive AI Election Content. 🤔Evaluation Undertaking collective efforts to evaluate and learn from the experiences and outcomes of dealing with Deceptive AI Election Content. 📖Public Awareness Engaging in shared efforts to educate the public about media literacy best practices, in particular regarding Deceptive AI Content, and ways citizens can protect themselves from being manipulated or deceived by this content. Resilience Supporting efforts to develop and make available defensive tools and resources, such as AI literacy and other public programs, AI-based solutions (including open-source tools where appropriate), or contextual features, to help protect public debate, defend the integrity of the democratic process, and build whole-of-society resilience against the use of Deceptive AI Election Content Find more information and the full Accord here:

We are proud to announce our commitment to the Tech Accord to Combat Deceptive Use of AI in 2024 Elections, unveiled today at the Munich Security Conference (MSC). This accord is a collective pledge by leading tech companies to prevent deceptive AI content from influencing this year's global elections, which will see over four billion people voting in more than 40 countries. Our commitment involves working collaboratively on tools to address the online distribution of deceptive AI content, driving educational campaigns to raise public awareness about this issue, and providing transparency. This marks a significant step towards safeguarding our online communities against deceptive AI content. More here via NBC News: https://lnkd.in/gyB_Q_jd Read the full press release: https://lnkd.in/gXx4FmdC #TechAccord #MSC2024 #SafeguardingDemocracy

https://lnkd.in/giz3r6nV With governments on both sides of the Atlantic lurking over their shoulders, an alliance of who is who in the AI tech and social media world announces a new framework for how they respond to AI-generated deepfakes that deliberately trick voters. The accord outlines methods they will use to try to detect and label deceptive elections-related AI content when it is created or distributed on their platforms. Interesting note: they will then share best practices with each other - I'll believe it when I see it.

Balancing Acts: The Voluntary Commitment of Tech Giants Against AI Driven Election Interference The recent pact signed by major technology companies, including Google, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI, and TikTok, to adopt "reasonable precautions" against AI-generated election interference raises questions about its effectiveness and the commitment of the involved companies. The framework, announced at the Munich Security Conference, addresses the threat of AI-generated deepfakes disrupting democratic elections globally. While the accord is a symbolic gesture, it falls short of committing to banning or removing deepfakes. Instead, it outlines methods to detect and label deceptive AI content, emphasizing information sharing among the companies and swift responses to the spread of such content. The vague commitments and lack of binding requirements have led to mixed reactions, with some praising the collaboration as a positive step, while others express disappointment and call for stronger assurances. Critics argue that the language in the agreement may not be robust enough to effectively counter the potential misuse of AI in election processes. Additionally, the voluntary nature of the pact raises concerns about its enforceability and whether companies will follow through on their promises. The accord's focus on transparency and education regarding AI-generated content is acknowledged but may require more concrete actions to address the evolving landscape of AI-driven misinformation. As the agreement coincides with more than 50 countries preparing for national elections in 2024, the urgency to address AI-generated election interference is evident. The potential impact of AI-fueled disinformation on democratic processes has led to calls for stronger regulations, but the current pact relies on companies to govern themselves. The effectiveness of the accord in safeguarding elections depends on the companies' commitment to implementing the outlined precautions and adapting to emerging challenges in the rapidly evolving field of AI-generated content. Is this voluntary approach sufficient, or should there be more stringent regulations to ensure the integrity of democratic processes? While the technology companies' pact signifies a collective effort to address AI-generated election interference, questions remain about the adequacy of the commitments and the ability of companies to effectively mitigate the risks. The evolving nature of AI technology and its potential impact on democracy necessitate ongoing scrutiny and adaptive measures to maintain the integrity of electoral processes globally. The debate over the balance between safeguarding elections and preserving free speech highlights the complex challenges surrounding the use of AI in influencing democratic systems. #AIEthics #TechPact #DeepfakePrevention #ElectionIntegrity #AIRegulation #DigitalDemocracy

Google’s plan to quash AI-generated election misinformation Google said it will restrict the types of election-related queries its artificial-intelligence powered chatbot Bard will answer. The move comes as tech companies prepare for a slew of key elections next year in the U.S., India, Taiwan, and other places. In a bid to prevent AI-powered misinformation from spreading, Google will also require election advertisers and YouTubers to disclose whether their content has been generated using AI. For more insights, read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gnnFAPdc #misinformation #disinformation #mitifyplus #fakenews #propangada #disinformationdetection #factchecking #mitifyplus #disinformationdetection Platform: Semafor Author: Mathias Hammer

Always stay in touch with the latest news. 💡 It seems that tech companies will take precautions to prevent AI-based tools from being used to influence democratic elections worldwide. Read more about this here 👇 #AI #GenerativeAI #AItools

A WIRED report has shown that Microsoft's AI chatbot, Copilot, which is essentially Bing Chat or ChatGPT4, often gives wrong information about elections. When asked about 2024 US election polling locations, Microsoft Copilot incorrectly linked to an article about Vladimir Putin's reelection. Copilot also listed several Republican candidates for the 2024 election who had already withdrawn from the race. Copilot recommended Telegram channels linked to a far-right group and election denial content, and research shows it consistently provided false election information in Switzerland and Germany. These are classic cases of chatbot hallucinations. Another instance, when repeatedly asked about the new Federal Councilor in Switzerland, it only answered correctly 11 out of 27 times, while other responses contained factual errors or avoidance. In the coming year, numerous countries, including major democracies like the US, India, Brazil, Indonesia, and several African nations, are gearing up for general elections. Big tech companies, including Microsoft, Google, and OpenAI, must make sure their AI gives correct answers. News creators should be extra careful and verify all information from these AIs. #WIRED #Microsoft #AIChatbot #Copilot #Misinformation #Elections #ConspiracyTheories #BingChat #ChatGPT4 #VladimirPutin #ChatbotHallucinations #GlobalElections #Democracy #FactCheck #NewsIndustry #2024

Follow up to my post on #AI and the #elections... seems Google's AI tool, Gemini, is bowing out of the election game... if you try to ask it an election related question, you get "I’m still learning how to answer this question. In the meantime, try Google Search." And this is not just in the US, but anywhere in the world with an upcoming election. For more details, check out: https://lnkd.in/ebkVGBuB

In a landmark move at the Munich Security Conference, executives from leading tech companies including Adobe, Amazon, Google, IBM, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI, and TikTok announced a framework aimed at combating the misuse of AI-generated deepfakes to deceive voters. This initiative, supported by additional signatories like Elon Musk's X, symbolizes a collaborative effort to preserve democratic integrity against digital threats. The pact, though symbolic, focuses on adopting "reasonable precautions" to deter AI tools from disrupting elections worldwide, specifically targeting deepfakes that manipulate the appearance or voices of political figures or mislead voters about electoral processes. Despite the accord's non-binding nature, it emphasizes the importance of detecting, labeling, and responsibly managing deceptive AI content on platforms. This initiative marks a proactive step by the tech industry to address the growing concern over AI's potential to undermine democratic elections through fabricated digital content. The involvement of a diverse group of companies highlights a shared recognition of the significance of safeguarding elections from digital manipulation, urging a collective and vigilant approach to counteract this emerging challenge. #electionsecurity #safeguarding #digitalinfrastructure #deceptiveai #aicontent #proactiveapproach #deepfakes #aigenerated #digitalthreats