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Pop celebrity Taylor Swift has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president, citing issues about AI-generated misinformation within the electoral course of. Her transfer may reignite debates round synthetic intelligence regulation.
Swift voiced her assist for the Democratic ticket on Instagram and expressed unease about AI’s potential to unfold false info throughout the marketing campaign. She boasts one of many largest social media followings globally.
“Recently I was made aware that AI of ‘me’ falsely endorsing Donald Trump’s presidential run was posted to his site,” Swift wrote. “It really conjured up my fears around AI, and the dangers of spreading misinformation. It brought me to the conclusion that I need to be very transparent about my actual plans for this election as a voter. The simplest way to combat misinformation is with the truth.”
The incident Swift referenced entails AI-generated photos that appeared to indicate her endorsing former President Donald Trump, shared throughout all social media platforms. This follows specific deepfakes of the singer circulating on-line months in the past, which prompted requires stricter AI regulation from lawmakers and tech {industry} leaders.
Reigniting AI regulation discussions
Swift’s endorsement and remarks about AI misinformation underscore rising issues amongst public figures and policymakers in regards to the expertise’s potential to disrupt democratic processes. It additionally highlights challenges dealing with tech corporations and legislators in balancing innovation with safeguards towards misuse.
Federal laws regulating AI stays elusive, however some states have taken motion. Tennessee, Swift’s residence state, not too long ago handed the Guaranteeing Likeness Picture and Voice Safety (ELVIS) Act, defending artists towards AI impersonation and deepfakes.
In October, the Biden administration issued an government order outlining the federal government’s coverage positions on AI and directing federal businesses to discover using generative AI purposes. The order additionally established the AI Security Institute underneath the Nationwide Institute of Requirements and Expertise. Each OpenAI and Anthropic have agreed to ship their unreleased fashions to the AI Security Institute for security evaluations.
Final yr, the Biden administration appointed Vice President Harris to symbolize the U.S. on the UK AI Summit. Throughout the presidential debate on September 10, Harris emphasised the necessity for the U.S. to “win the competition for the 21st century” by main the world in AI and quantum computing, supported by American-made chips.
In the meantime, Trump’s operating mate, J.D. Vance, has earned reward from tech leaders for his assist of open-source AI.
