Fake Biden robocall portends rise of AI election trickery

+ union membership data released US Edition - Today's top story: Fake Biden robocall to New Hampshire voters highlights how easy it is to make deepfakes − and how hard it is to defend against AI-generated disinformation [View in browser]( US Edition | 24 January 2024 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Top headlines - [Is a tragic train crash behind Kim Jong Un's war drums?]( - [Why did union membership slightly decline in 2023?]( - [We’re in year 23 of a 639-year performance of a John Cage song]( Lead story Robocalls are a staple of political campaigns, and using robocalls to mislead voters is nothing new. What is new is the widespread availability of artificial intelligence technologies, which have given just about anybody the ability to make deepfake audio and video. A misleading robocall sent to New Hampshire voters using a deepfake of Joe Biden’s voice is the latest – and almost certainly not the last – dirty trick to deploy AI. Boston University media and disinformation scholar Joan Donovan explains how the proliferation of deepfake technology – including impersonation–as–a–service apps and websites – makes it [difficult to distinguish reality from fiction](. She also describes how citizens can fight back. [ [Science from the scientists themselves. Sign up for our weekly science email newsletter.]( ] Eric Smalley Science + Technology Editor The fake robocall urged Democratic voters in New Hampshire not to vote in the Jan. 23, 2024, primary election. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images [Fake Biden robocall to New Hampshire voters highlights how easy it is to make deepfakes − and how hard it is to defend against AI-generated disinformation]( Joan Donovan, Boston University Deepfake technology is widely available, and a pivotal election year lies ahead. The fake Biden robocall is likely to be just the latest of a series of AI-enhanced disinformation campaigns. 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A music education expert explains why some songs are universally liked, while others aren’t]( Today's graphic 📈 [During the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers sent state legislators science communication materials that summarized current research on health-related topics. Lawmakers who received this information were more likely to mention research-based evidence in their social media posts about the pandemic than were lawmakers who did not receive the science communication packets.]( From the story, [Connecting researchers and legislators can lead to policies that reflect scientific evidence]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our weekly and biweekly emails: • [Weekly Highlights]( • [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Politics Weekly]( • [Global Perspectives]( • [Global Economy & Business]( Trying out new social media? 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