As we reported earlier this week, a new disinformation campaign has emerged, shaking the core of New Hampshire's election process.
Unknown individuals or groups orchestrated a deepfake robocall in the voice of President Joe Biden, urging voters in the upcoming New Hampshire Presidential Primary Election to abstain.
The New Hampshire Attorney General's Office quickly labeled the recorded message as fake, emphasizing its potential to suppress voter turnout and disrupt the democratic process.
Deepfake Technology and the Elections
This incident, currently under investigation by the Attorney General's office, has raised concerns about the widespread use of deepfake technology in political campaigns.
With the 2024 US Presidential elections on the horizon, officials, experts, and politicians are increasingly alarmed by the accessibility and availability of generative AI tools that can compromise election integrity.
The Federal Election Commission, recognizing the potential threat posed by AI-powered political campaigns, has recently imposed a ban on the use of generative AI content, including tools like ChatGPT. However, the incident in New Hampshire underscores the challenges of enforcing such regulations effectively.
Experts Say Biden Robocall Done with ElevenLabs Tools
As reported by Wired, the deepfake Biden robocall is most likely linked to ElevenLabs, Silicon Valley's leading voice-cloning startup.
This revelation adds a new dimension to the unfolding story, emphasizing the role of cutting-edge technology in the generation and distribution of misleading messages.
ElevenLabs, which recently achieved "unicorn" status with a $80 million funding round and a staggering $1.1 billion valuation, has established itself as a leader in AI voice cloning. The company's tools, initially intended for audiobooks and video games, are now under scrutiny for their potential use in political propaganda.
The company's investors include notable names like Andreessen Horowitz, Nat Friedman (former CEO of Github), and Mustafa Suleyman (cofounder of AI lab DeepMind).
Pindrop, a security company specializing in synthetic audio, conducted an analysis that identified ElevenLabs' technology as the most likely source of the deepfake Biden robocall.
Their findings, supported by independent analysis from UC Berkeley School of Information, suggest a high confidence level in attributing the incident to ElevenLabs.
Malicious Use of AI
This revelation not only raises questions about the ethical use of voice-cloning technology but also underscores the need for stringent safeguards to prevent its misuse.
The incident has sparked a broader conversation about the responsibility of AI startups to ensure their technologies are not weaponized for malicious purposes.
Moreover, Wired has also mentioned the existence of a Discord server where ElevenLabs enthusiasts discuss plans to clone Biden's voice, sharing links to deepfake content featuring political figures like Donald Trump and Barack Obama. This additional layer reveals the potential social impact of unregulated access to advanced AI technologies.
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Related Article : POTUS Biden Robocall: New Hampshire Voters Advised Not to Vote, Attorney General Says It's Fake
