SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — With President Joe Biden securing his party’s nomination on Tuesday evening, the political advertising season sure to start gearing up.
This cycle is set to see an unprecedented role for artificial intelligence, experts say. While Utah lawmakers have taken steps, by passing laws around the new tech this legislative session to ensure transparency, not all proposed bills were passed.
Voters like 24-year-old Dakota Baker said he’s not sure if he will vote in November.
“I have never voted,” Baker admits, sharing his concerns about feeling unheard, yet acknowledging the potential influence of his vote.
MORE: Utah lawmakers rush to regulate AI-generated deceptive ads as election season nears
Similarly, 25-year-old undecided voter Santana Valdez is weighing her options, understanding the role her decision plays and how it could be impacted with AI generated ads.
As political strategists eye swing voters like Baker and Valdez, they increasingly turn to AI-generated content, a trend that Brandon Amacher, Director of the Emerging Tech Policy Lab at Utah State University, says is significant.
“We’re already starting to see AI-generated content play a factor in elections, so this is going to be an important thing,” Amacher said.
He urges a balanced approach to the evolving landscape.
“I don’t want to install a sense of dread, however, I do want to install a sense of caution,” he said.
This year, SB 131, mandates clear disclaimers when AI is employed in political ads, enhancing voter awareness and adding civil penalties determined by the courts. Yet, a proposed bill targeting deep fakes and introducing criminal penalties did not advance, leaving a gap in the legal framework.
“At the end of the day, the buck stops with the voter, and it really falls on us to verify the information that we’re consuming online” Amacher said.
With only civil penalties at play for misleading AI content, he advises voters to scrutinize irregularities in videos and fact-check independently, ensuring informed decisions at the polls.
