The recent New Hampshire primary was marred by a controversial and fraudulent robocall featuring an AI-generated impersonation of President Joe Biden. The call urged Democratic primary voters not to turn out to vote, raising concerns about voter suppression and the potential use of misleading audio for political gain.
What is even more startling is the ease with which this deepfake recording was created. This raises serious questions and concerns about the potential impact of technologically advanced audio manipulation in the world of politics.
According to recent reports, a Democratic consultant who worked for a rival presidential campaign paid a New Orleans magician to create the fake Biden audio. The magician, Paul Carpenter, used artificial intelligence software to create the imitation of Biden’s voice, which was then used in the robocall that targeted thousands of New Hampshire voters.
Carpenter shared how simple and inexpensive it was to create the fake audio, raising concerns about the potential for widespread manipulation and misinformation in future elections.
The creator of the AI-generated audio came forward, expressing regret for his involvement and warning about the dangers of such manipulation in the political arena. He revealed that he was approached by Steve Kramer, a veteran political operative who had worked for many campaigns, including that of rapper-turned-presidential candidate, Kanye West. This revelation has caused shock and outrage in the political world, with the presidential campaigns of Joe Biden and Dean Phillips condemning the use of the fake audio.
The implications of this incident go beyond the realm of political campaigns. It shines a light on the vulnerability of our society to AI-generated deepfakes and the potential for them to be used for malicious purposes. The internet and social media have made it easier than ever to create and spread misinformation, and this case illustrates the need for more regulations and safeguards to prevent the spread of such technology.
The fact that this AI-generated audio was used in a political campaign raises questions about the integrity of our democratic processes and the potential for outside influences to manipulate election outcomes.
The creator of the fake audio has already stated that he had no knowledge of its intended use and regrets his involvement in the matter. He has also shown how easy it is for anyone to create such advanced fake audio, and has highlighted the need for increased awareness and vigilance in the face of emerging technologies.
Dean Phillips should not only drop out, he should resign his seat in Congress — the buck stops with Dean‼️
The Dean Phillips’ campaign was behind the Biden AI robocall to dupe New Hampshire voters into not voting in the primary. They used magician, Paul Carpenter, to do the deed… pic.twitter.com/P3qFyeDr1P
— Christopher Webb (@cwebbonline) February 24, 2024
