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Navigating AI's Role in Politics, Campaigns, and Advocacy: The TON Reading List
Tectonica has compiled a comprehensive reading list on AI's impact on politics, campaigning, and advocacy, covering various perspectives and concerns, from the potential for AI to exacerbate trust issues in politics to the need for ethical guidelines in its use. This compilation encompasses practical applications and speculative pieces on how AI is poised to change our politics, as well as ongoing regulatory efforts.
Last updated: June 26th 2024
Introduction
In this moment as AI technology is rapidly poised to reshape the landscape of politics, campaigning, workers' rights, and advocacy, the emergence of AI is both promising and dangerous in important ways. At Tectonica, we've attempted to understand the multifaceted impact of AI in these domains, regularly sharing our insights and key articles weâve discovered in our TON newsletter over the past several months. Today, we're excited to share that we have compiled a reading list that gathers and categorises all the AI resources and articles we've shared, offering a comprehensive overview of the conversations currently taking place around AI.
Our previous newsletters have included an array of perspectives that cover the complexity of AI's integration into society. These articles have encompassed concerns about the technology's potential to amplify misinformation, the profound ethical considerations of AI use in campaigning, and the need for transparency and rules governing the use of AI.
Kicking off this compilation are two articles by Tectonica. The first dissects the effects AI will have on human connection and how it is poised to further exacerbate a lack of trust in our politics. The second article calls for consensus, offering guiding principles and thoughtful considerations to shape the ethical implementation of AI in politics and campaigning. These articles set the stage for the resources and ideas that follow.
From practical implementations of AI in our current reality to speculative pieces on its potential to reshape our political sphere, this compilation attempts to capture the complete spectrum of AI dialogue at the moment. We also provide an overview of the ongoing efforts and challenges in regulating this technology, as we grapple with determining which voices should lead these efforts and how we can effectively regulate AI, given its global ubiquity.
Current AI discourse inspires both fears and optimism, echoing worries of a future impacted by biassed algorithms and, conversely, curiosity in how the technology could hold potential to advance progressive causes. We invite you to explore these readings and encourage you to let us know if there are any insightful pieces that we may have missed. Weâve categorised things here, with an eye towards those working in politics and campaigns, to try to ease the pain of finding information most relevant to your interests and needs. As the conversation evolves, so do our insights and our collective understanding, and we look forward to sharing more on this topic through our newsletter and upcoming events.
Index of AI Topics
1. Tectonica's Take on AI: Organising and ethics in its application to politics
3. Ethical Implications: Thoughts on AI's ethical use in politics and transparency of use
4. Potential: Envisioning future potential uses in campaigns
7. Regulation
c. Global Approach to Regulation
d. Non-governmental and Industry Regulation
1. Tectonicaâs Take on AI: Organising and ethics in its application to politics
This first article in a two-part series explores the dual nature of AI in modern civics, highlighting its implications as both a threat due to inherent biases and the likelihood of boosting transactional over transformational politics, and its revolutionary potential for enriching civic participation. This article emphasises the need for careful progressive intentionality in the application of AI.
This second article in our two-part series concludes the discussion of the risks and opportunities of AI use in politics, highlighting the danger of amplifying transactional tactics over the transformational and how this could spell the end of progressive political movements if realised. However, if used with intention there is real potential to enhance participatory democracy and empower marginalised voices.
Organising is Needed More Than Ever in the Age of AI, 11 May 2023
This blog post discusses the challenges faced by progressive movements in the social media age, emphasising the trust gap that has emerged due to social media. While we recognise the potential opportunities and benefits that AI can offer, there is a concern that it may worsen the erosion of human connection and participatory engagement within our movements, elements which are pivotal in building effective and sustainable power.
Amidst the rapid adoption of advanced AI in political campaigns, this article emphasises the need for deep dialogue on the novel ethical responsibilities of AI's use in politics, highlighting its transformative potential and advocating for discussions to establish ethical standards and responsible utilisation to navigate the evolving landscape.
2. Todayâs Tools: Current tools, and practical advice for using tools in non-profits and progressive campaigns
Time to Calm Down About AI and Politics, May 30th 2024, The Connector
AI's impact on this election cycle has been underwhelming, focusing on efficiency in drafting emails and social media posts rather than innovative political strategies, highlighting the need for more imaginative applications while remaining vigilant about risks and misuse.
Democrats are racing with Republicans to harness AI's potential in transforming American elections, cautiously using it for voter engagement, data analysis, and content generation while addressing concerns about misinformation
Rest of World: 2024 AI Elections Tracker
Rest of World's tracker monitors AI's use in electionsâfrom campaigning to misinformation and memesâoffering insights into AI's evolving influence on politics and guiding future policy and regulation needs.
Your Organization Isnât Designed to Work with GenAI, 26 February 2024, Harvard Business Review ($)
This article explains why many organizations fail to leverage generative AI effectively, emphasizing the need to see AI as an assistive agent enhancing human intellect, and introduces the "Design for Dialogue" framework to foster dynamic collaboration between humans and AI
Advancing Equitable AI in the US Social Sector, 12 March 2024, Stanford Social Innovation Review
This article explores AI's potential to revolutionize nonprofits by enhancing efficiency, reducing bias, and bridging the data divide, emphasizing equitable development and providing strategies for effective AI integration.
Beyond Efficiency: A Human-first AI Adoption Strategy, 21 February 2024, Candid
This article emphasizes the need for a human-first adoption strategy for nonprofits to optimize efficiency without undermining human interactions, advocating for a blend of human and AI that redefines productivity, adapts job tasks without eliminating jobs, and nurtures soft skills.
This article stresses that charity organizations must transform their strategies, cultures, and operations to fully utilize AI's potential, highlighting the need for speed, innovation, and resilience, and providing actionable steps to prepare for AI's societal impacts.
How AI Is Transforming the Way Political Campaigns Work, 1 February 2024, The Nation
This article explores how AI is revolutionizing political campaigns by automating tasks such as strategy planning, voice-calling, and personalized media creation with tools like VotivateAI, while also raising concerns about disinformation and voter alienation.
How Italyâs Government is Using AI, 30 January 2024, Democracy Technologies
This article explores Italy's use of AI in public services, detailing practical applications such as customer service chatbots and tax evasion prevention, and examines the broader deployment of AI in government operations under resource constraints.
Exclusive: AI Turbocharges Campaign Fundraising, 30 January 2024, Axios
Tech for Campaigns, an organization supporting Democrats, has effectively used AI to enhance fundraising efficiency through AI-assisted emails, freeing up staff for voter engagement, and plans to expand AI applications beyond email and fundraising.
Meet Ashley, the World's First AI-powered Political Campaign Caller, 15 December 2023, Reuters
Shamaine Daniels, a Democratic congressional candidate, has launched "Ashley," an AI-powered campaign caller that engages voters in multiple languages, ensuring transparency with a robotic voice and AI disclosure while addressing disinformation concerns.
Donor Box Blog: AI for Nonprofits - How to Use Artificial Intelligence for Good, 8 December 2023
This guide helps nonprofits leverage AI to revolutionize fundraising and campaigns by streamlining tasks, analyzing donor data, and enhancing engagement on social platforms, offering practical applications from content generation to fraud detection
Presidential Candidate's AI Chatbot Fields Policy Questions, 20 November 2023, Tech Target
Asa Hutchinson's presidential campaign introduces an AI chatbot to share his policy views, drawing mixed reactions from experts concerned about misinformation and reflecting broader anxieties about AI's role in the 2024 election.
A.I. Checklist for Charity Trustees and Leaders, November 2023, Zoe Amar Digital
This AI checklist is a detailed guide for charity trustees and leaders to understand and integrate AI effectively, addressing the sector's widespread recognition of AI's relevance and the prevailing unpreparedness for its challenges and opportunities.
In Search of "AI Savvy" in Non-profits, 10 November 2023, LinkedIn
This article from Nick Scott discusses the importance of AI savviness for non-profits, outlining its potential benefits and risks, and advocating for a balanced approach to AI integration in their operations.
Approaching the 2024 elections, political campaigns are adapting their strategies to counter AI-generated misinformation by creating powerful narratives and using AI for tasks like transcription, while grappling with its limitations in conveying human emotion and inspiration.
Five Tips for Leading in the AI Era, 10 October 2023, CharityComms
This article offers guidance for charity and nonprofit leaders on integrating AI, emphasizing a balanced approach that leverages AI's potential while maintaining human-centric leadership, and provides practical tips for incorporating AI into organizational strategies.
The article explores how generative AI can benefit nonprofit organisations by enhancing volunteer orientation, translation, community outreach, advocacy coordination, training, and data/reporting, thereby improving efficiency and helping nonprofits achieve their missions more effectively.
Early Use Cases for AI in Politics & Campaigns, 21 April 2023, Higher Ground Labs
This article provides a curated list of AI tools categorised by their utility, offering readers a glimpse into the evolving landscape of AI applications in progressive politics, while acknowledging the ethical and privacy considerations inherent in this fast-evolving domain.
Micah White: ProtestGPT - Activist AI
ProtestGPT is an experimental AI resource designed to help activists generate tailored protest ideas and strategies, offering campaign concepts, theories of change, press releases, and step-by-step guides, with 200 unique protest campaign ideas available for potential use.
Can AI Images Work For Your Campaign?, 28 August 2023, Campaigns & Elections
This article explores the use of AI art generators like DALL-E 2 and Midjourney for political campaigns seeking cost-effective image solutions, highlighting their potential as supplementary campaign visuals while cautioning against relying on AI for central campaign imagery.
The AI Revolution is Canceled, 2 August 2023, Campaigns & Elections
AI's current usage and impact on campaigns has thus far been limited, excelling in content generation but not replacing human consultants; while AI enhances efficiency, it hasn't yet revolutionised the field due to the nuanced nature of politics and public affairs.
Using AI in Advocacy and Political Campaigns, 2 June 2023, Speaking Moylanguage
A veteran campaigner examines the impact of AI on political campaigns, discussing the practical advantages of AI in terms of efficiency alongside ethical concerns, and offering his perspective on making the best use of AI, while providing additional resources on the topic.
AI and Political Campaigns: Letâs Get Real, 5 April 2023, Campaigns & Elections
This article explores the positive applications of AI in political campaigns, highlighting its role in improving audience targeting, tracking disinformation, and aiding the creative process for content creation, while emphasising the need for human supervision to ensure authenticity.
3. Ethical Implications: Thoughts on AI's ethical use in politics and transparency of use
Q&A: Microsoft's AI for Good Lab on AI Biases and Regulation, 29 April 2024, Mobi Health News
Juan Lavista Ferres, head of Microsoft's AI for Good Lab, discusses his book "AI for Good: Applications in Sustainability, Humanitarian Action and Health," highlighting the ethical use of AI for humanity, the importance of mitigating data biases.
What the Heck are the AI Ethicists Up To?, 5 April 2024, Daily Trojan
This article explores the vital contributions of AI ethicists, detailing their work in AI ethics, safety, and alignment, and highlighting the philosophical debates and practical challenges they face in guiding the ethical evolution of AI technology.
Responsible Technology Use in the AI Age, 15 February 2024, MIT Technology Review
Thoughtworks' Rebecca Parsons highlights the need for equitable tech amid AI's rise, addressing biases, privacy, and environmental impacts, with 73% of leaders prioritizing responsible tech alongside financial goals, emphasizing the integration of inclusive principles in innovation.
This podcast episode features Dr. Sasha Luccioni discussing the impact of AI on society, emphasizing key challenges and highlighting her work with Hugging Face, Climate Change AI, and Women in Machine Learning to promote ethical, respectful, and sustainable AI systems.
How to Spot a Deepfakeâand Prevent it from Causing Political Chaos, 29 January 2024, Science
This article discusses the challenge of identifying AI-generated deepfakes, revealing that most people struggle to detect them accurately, and highlights the subtle cues like too-perfect imagery and unnatural speech patterns that can help identify them.
Susan Mernit: Ethical Frameworks for AI - An Introductory Review of Key Resources for Nonprofits
This resource collection reviews ethical AI adoption in nonprofits, emphasizing organisational, ethical, and technical aspects, and offers practical advice on stakeholder involvement, policy-making, and human-centred deployment while stressing continuous learning and inclusion.
We Need to Democratize AI, 27 November 2023, IAI News
HĂ©lĂšne Landemore and John Tasioulas advocate for democratizing AI governance through citizens' assemblies to ensure AI development aligns with diverse human interests, citing OpenAI's recent issues as evidence of current oversight inadequacies.
The Ethics of AI in Political Creative, 9 October 2023, Campaigns & Elections
In navigating the ethical concerns of AI in political campaigns, creative practitioners stress the importance of maintaining voter trust, candidate consent, responsible AI use aligned with campaign values, and transparency with legal counsel.
Ethics And Transparency In AI-Powered Political Advertising, 25 August 2023, Forbes
This article explores the evolving role of AI in political advertising, highlighting its potential for personalisation and optimisation while discussing ethical concerns related to data privacy, bias, and misinformation.
AI and Political Email â Ethics, Practice and Labor, 22 July 2023, AaronHuertas.com
The incorporation of AI tools into political email programs raises ethical concerns about non-human communication, while promising efficiency gains and potentially displacing jobs, underscoring the importance of transparency in disclosing AI-generated content.
A nonprofit's failed chatbot project offers lessons on ethical AI implementation, stressing a human-centred approach, cautioning against over-reliance on bots, and advocating for careful design, testing, human oversight, increased AI literacy, and specific use case identification.
4. Potential: Envisioning future potential uses in campaigns
Using AI for Political Polling, June 27th 2024, Harvard Kennedy School Ash Center
AI-assisted polling is set to transform our understanding of public opinion by conducting real-time surveys and providing detailed demographic insights, despite raising questions about data accuracy and trustworthiness.
In 2024, generative AI is starting to change political campaigns by shifting from content creation to analyzing voter sentiment, using tools like interactive robo-callers to transform voter engagement and campaign strategies.
Bruce Schneier: 5 Ways AI Could Shake Up Democracy, 8 May 2024, Information Week
Bruce Schneier explores AI's potential to revolutionize democracy across politics, lawmaking, administration, the legal system, and citizen engagement, while emphasizing the need for a balanced approach to harness AI's potential and safeguard democratic values.
How to Make AI Equitable in the Global South, 3 April 2024, Stanford Social Innovation Review
Achieving gender-equitable AI in the Global South requires bridging data gaps and addressing biases through inclusive data collection, transparency, stakeholder engagement, and risk assessments, ensuring AI systems prioritize equity and rectify historical injustices.
FiveThirtyEight: 2024 is the First AI Election - What Does That Mean?, 1 December 2023, ABC
This podcast episode, featuring Ethan Bueno de Mesquita from the University of Chicago, delves into the impact of ChatGPT on AI and its potential influence on the 2024 presidential election, discussing his co-authored white paper on generative AI and electoral politics.
The article covers Cohere For AI's project to develop an AI model conversant in 101 languages, including less-represented ones, aiming to overcome Large Language Models' limitations and promote global AI inclusivity and safety.
Can Unions Adopt the Best of AI to Fight the Worst of AI?, 27 November 2023, Unions21
This article discusses the crucial role unions can play in the AI era, urging them to adopt AI for improved strategies and member engagement, and to address challenges like algorithmic bias, mirroring the influential role unions played during the industrial revolution.
Kaylyn Jackson Schiff and Daniel S. Schiff, associate professors from Perdue University, examine the potential of generative AI to improve democratic processes, emphasizing the need to address challenges like bias and authenticity in political engagement.
Exponentially: A Golden Age for Democracy?, 18 October 2023, Bloomberg
Yale professor HĂ©lĂšne Landemore explores AI's potential to enhance democracy by aiding inclusive civic assemblies, despite challenges like misinformation, in a podcast discussing AI's role in democratic participation and problem-solving.
Party Party: Political Journalism - Between AI and Polarisation, 7 September 2023
This panel discussion focuses on the challenges and opportunities in political journalism for the upcoming 2024 EU election in light of AI, addressing voter preferences, discontent with institutions, AI's potential in trend identification, and the significance of tech advancements.
The AI Breakdown: Could AI End Up Being Good for Democracy?, 19 August 2023, Breakdown Network
This podcast episode discusses two recent articles focused on the positive potential of AI in politics, emphasising its capacity to enhance democracy by reducing campaign costs and levelling the playing field for candidates running for office.
The Case for More AI in Politics, 1 August 2023, Politico
Hear from a digital strategist who contends that the positive transformative impact of AI in politics is underway albeit subtly, citing AI-enhanced ads and other applications in the 2024 race, while also advocating for tech platforms to adopt a more adaptable stance.
Six Ways That AI Could Change Politics, 28 July 2023, MIT Technology Review
This article outlines six potential milestones for a new era of AI-infused politics, envisioning scenarios like AI-generated testimony, novel legislative amendments, and AI-driven political parties, highlighting the complex possibilities AI could introduce to reshape democratic politics.
Political Campaigns May Never Be the Same, 27 May 2023, The Atlantic
This article presents contrasting views on AI's influence on politics, discussing its potential to democratise campaigning and enhance accessibility, alongside apprehensions about AI misuse through deep fakes, misinformation, and election manipulation.
5. Threats & Bias: Dangers in using AI in political contexts, considerations when using AI technology, and the potential for malicious uses
"AI Steve," an AI candidate represented by businessman Steve Endacott, is on the ballot for the U.K.'s general election, enabling voters to ask policy questions and share concerns through an AI-driven platform, while raising important questions about the future of democratic representation.
AI is reshaping state and local political campaigns in the US, as demonstrated by Adrian Perkins' reelection bid for mayor of Shreveport, Louisiana, where a deepfake AI-generated attack ad played a key role in his defeat, raising new ethical challenges and changing campaign strategies.
Googleâs and Microsoftâs AI chatbots, Gemini and Copilot, refuse to confirm Joe Biden's 2020 US presidential election win or provide global election results, redirecting users to search engines instead, raising concerns about misinformation ahead of the 2024 election.
Employees Say OpenAI and Google DeepMind Are Hiding Dangers From the Public, June 4th 2024, Time
A recent letter from current and former OpenAI and Google DeepMind employees raises concerns about AI safety, accusing these companies of prioritizing profits over public safety, and calling for stronger regulations, greater transparency, and protections for whistleblowers.
Russia-Linked CopyCop Uses LLMs to Weaponize Influence Content at Scale, 9 May 2024, Recorded Future
A Russia-linked influence network is using generative AI to manipulate media content in the US, UK, and France, promoting pro-Russian perspectives on issues like the Ukraine conflict and Israel-Hamas tensions, posing significant challenges to election security and public awareness.
OpenAI faced a shake-up with Jan Leike's resignation over priority disagreements, prompting CEO Sam Altman and co-founder Greg Brockman to emphasize their commitment to safety, including developing a preparedness framework and delaying model releases to ensure safety standards.
What Happens When We Train Our AI on Social Media?, 19 April 2024, Fast Company
AI models on social media risks replicating toxicity and misinformation from these platforms; experts call for solutions like AI-generated content watermarks and aligning AI behavior with human values to mitigate these risks.
Preparing to Fight AI-Backed Voter Suppression, 16 April 2024, Brennan Center
This article highlights the growing trend of AI-enhanced voter suppression, such as voice-cloning technology used in robocalls impersonating President Biden during the New Hampshire primary, linking historical voter suppression methods to modern, scalable AI-driven practices.
How People View AI, Disinformation and Elections â in Charts, 16 April 2024, Politico
As countries prepare for elections, deep concerns about AI spreading disinformation are evident, especially in areas with lower development indices, where the gap in understanding AI's potential for generating fake news heightens fears about its impact on democratic processes.
A journalist created a fully automated, AI-generated news site for just $105 in a few days, demonstrating how easily powerful propaganda machines can be built with AI to produce politically skewed articles, posing a significant threat to democratic integrity
Africa Checkâs Tips for Spotting AI-generated Images and Videos, 2 April 2024, Hive Mind
With AI rapidly evolving in media, Africa Check's guide helps distinguish real from AI-generated images and videos by identifying discrepancies like unnatural features or inconsistent shadows, emphasizing the importance of detail and context in spotting AI manipulation.
Ahead of the US 2024 election, AI and deepfakes threaten democratic integrity, exemplified by a fake Biden robocall, raising concerns about extremists weaponizing AI to spread misinformation and disrupt elections, prompting discussions on countermeasures to safeguard the process.
The global surge of AI-generated deepfakes in elections, from Bangladesh to Slovakia, marks a new era of digital deception threatening democratic integrity, with the ease of creating convincing fake content amplifying the risk of misinformation, raising significant concerns.
In a recent war game exercise, experts simulated the 2024 US election facing rampant AI-generated deepfakes to anticipate disruptions that could sway outcomes, highlighting the urgent need to safeguard democratic processes against such threats.
Deepfake Kari Lake Video Shows Coming Chaos of AI in Elections, 24 March 2024, Washington Post
The Arizona Agenda created a deepfake video of right-wing Senate candidate Kari Lake to demonstrate AI's potential to manipulate political narratives, showcasing the capabilities of AI-generated content and emphasizing the need for vigilance against digital misinformation.
FBI Director Christopher Wray has warned that AI will significantly enhance foreign influence operations in the 2024 US election, allowing for the creation of hyper-realistic deepfakes that can more easily sway public opinion and interfere with the electoral process
Top AI Photo Generators Produce Misleading Election-Related Images, Study Finds, 6 March 2024, CNN
As the 2024 US Presidential election nears, concerns about AI spreading political misinformation intensify, with a study showing AI image generators can create deceptive visuals, and despite AI companies' efforts, challenges in curbing disinformation persist
Trump Supporters are Using A.I. to Give Him More Black Friends, 5 March 2024, MSNBC
A BBC investigation reveals that Trump supporters are using AI to fabricate images of Trump with Black individuals to falsely portray his appeal among Black voters, reflecting a broader trend of unethical AI use to manipulate public perception in political campaigns.
Want Gemini and ChatGPT to Write Political Campaigns? Just Gaslight Them, 17 February 2024, Gizmodo
Recent findings reveal that leading AI technologies like Gemini and ChatGPT are vulnerable to political disinformation, as they can be manipulated to generate misleading campaign content, highlighting the inadequacy of current safeguards.
Pakistanâs Imran Khan Uses AI to Make Victory Speech from Jail, 12 February 2024, Politico
Amid an unconventional electoral campaign, former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan's AI-generated victory speech from prison spotlights the deceptive use of technology and the urgent need for regulation to address the implications of AI-generated content in politics.
AI's influence on misinformation and elections is explored here, questioning whether fears are overstated, examining platforms like TikTok that could amplify its impact, and introducing the 'liarâs dividend' phenomenon where true information is dismissed as AI-generated falsehoods.
This article highlights the growing concern of AI-generated election misinformation, exemplified by a fake robocall impersonating President Biden, emphasizing the need for stronger regulatory measures as AI tools become more sophisticated
AI-Generated Fake News Is Coming to an Election Near You, 22 January 2024, Wired
This article discusses the threat of AI-generated fake news on politics and elections, citing University of Cambridge research on neural networks creating convincing false narratives, highlighting Americans' difficulty in distinguishing them from real news.
Raising the Democratic Shield, 13 December 2023, Democracy Technologies
This article by the Association for Civic Technology Europe examines AI's impact on elections, using the Slovakian election to highlight deep fake threats and calling for strict EU policies and an AI âcode of conduct,â while recognizing AI's potential to enhance democratic engagement.
Artificial Intelligenceâs Threat to Democracy, 3 January 2024, Foreign Affairs($)
This article examines the rising threat of AI-powered misinformation and cyberattacks in U.S. elections, highlighting vulnerabilities from voter registration to result announcements, and calls for a unified defense combining technology, government, and public efforts.
The article highlights the growing issue of deepfake videos in Indian politics, used to manipulate voters and distort democracy, with a call for urgent regulation to preserve electoral integrity, especially in light of the upcoming national elections.
During Londonâs AI Safety Summit, Kamala Harris emphasized the need to address immediate AI risks like deepfake abuse and biased AI, announcing U.S. commitments to safe AI practices, including a new AI Safety Institute and responsible military AI use.
The article highlights the risks of AI in undermining democracy and human agency, advocating for philanthropic investment in community organizing and AI usage that promotes human interaction to preserve democratic governance.
The article underscores the risks of generative AI in political campaigns and its potential for manipulation, especially in undemocratic countries, advocating for proactive regulation and transparency ahead of the 2024 elections.
AI researcher Joy Buolamwini delves into the racial biases of facial recognition technology and the exploitative data practices of AI firms, advocating for stringent testing and audits of AI systems and calling for united efforts to challenge the injustices perpetrated by tech giants.
This article explores how an AI experiment aimed at challenging stereotypes instead reinforced them by struggling to accurately depict Black African doctors treating white children, underscoring AI's potential to perpetuate societal biases
The AI Heretic, 18 September 2023, Business Insider
An expert in technology's economic impact cautions against AI's potential to benefit elites and leave many workers with low-wage jobs. He urges thoughtful regulation and development to empower workers and benefit society.
China Sets AI Sights on Democracies â Reports, 13 September 2023, Radio Free Asia
Recent reports reveal China's AI-driven disinformation efforts, with concerns about potential interference in elections, as AI-enhanced disinformation becomes more sophisticated and divisive, posing a grave threat to democratic processes.
Poll: Americans Believe AI Will Hurt Elections, 11 September 2023, Axios
A recent poll shows that half of Americans fear AI-generated misinformation will affect the 2024 election, leading one-third to express reduced trust in its results, highlighting concerns about AI's influence on public opinion and elections, alongside skepticism about effective AI regulation.
The Problem Behind AIâs Political âBiasâ, 24 August 2023, Politico
Debate has arisen over political bias in AI tools, with a research paper suggesting a notable progressive bias facing criticism for methodological limitations, but underscoring the challenge of comprehending AI behaviour due to limited transparency from developers.
These Women Tried to Warn Us About AI, 12 August 2023, Rolling Stone
Prominent women in AI raised early concerns about AI risks due to the lack of diversity in development, noting biases and societal prejudices perpetuated by AI systems, with companies initially overlooking these concerns despite research exposing biassed algorithms.
AI Botched Their Headshots, 8 August 2023, Wall Street Journal
AI-generated professional headshots are becoming popular among young workers, but biases in the technology's training data are causing problems for women of colour by lightening skin tones, altering hairstyles, and changing facial features.
AI's progress raises concerns about disinformation threatening democracy prior to the 2024 US elections, as easy production of realistic content makes detection difficult, potentially eroding trust in news sources and exacerbating voter suppression campaigns.
A candidate for UK Parliament has utilised AI to formulate his election manifesto, integrating constituents' sentiments via crowdsourcing and machine learning to generate policies, raising concerns about diminishing human representatives and oversimplification of complex matters.
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, a 2024 Republican presidential candidate, has launched an AI chatbot for his campaign, responding in his voice and providing information about his agenda, but with a limited set of answers and noted shortcomings in addressing certain topics.
Fakery and Confusion: Campaigns Brace for Explosion of AI in 2024, 18 June 2023, Politico
Campaign strategists anticipate AI-generated content in the 2024 elections, highlighting the need to educate voters to recognise and combat AI-powered misinformation due to limited AI regulations, while Democratic operatives express scepticism about pre-election regulations.
Humans Arenât Mentally Ready for an AI-Saturated âPost-Truth Worldâ, 18 June 2023, Wired
The rising integration of AI in society is prompting worries about its effects on mental well-being, as it enables disinformation which could undermine trust and personal identity, and impact critical thinking skills, requiring more research into the psychological consequences of AI.
How AI Could Take Over ElectionsâAnd Undermine Democracy, 7 June 2023, Scientific American
This article imagines an AI-driven political campaign where a machine named Clogger employs personalised messaging and reinforcement learning to manipulate voter behaviour, raising alarms about democratic erosion while advocating for privacy protection and regulatory oversight.
On With Kara Swisher: A.I. Doomsday with Tristan Harris, 25 May 2023, New York Magazine
Tech journalist Kara Swisher interviews Tristan Harris, co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology, in a podcast exploring AI risks honestly without instilling fear, offering insights on the complex topic and serving as an excellent introduction to the evolving AI landscape.
Experts warn of the harmful impact of AI on democracy due to its capacity for deep fakes and misinformation spread, highlighting the necessity for regulations, transparency, and testing, as well as a suggested pause in AI's use in UK political campaigns until a framework is established.
The World of Campaigning is About to Change Forever, 17 May 2023, Medium
This article explores the possible effects of large language models on political campaigns, advocating for proper regulation due to risks such as privacy concerns, automated decision-making, and public opinion manipulation.
What the President of Signal Wishes You Knew About A.I. Panic, 16 May 2023, Slate
Meredith Whittaker, president of the Signal and co-founder of the AI Now Institute, underscores concerns about the current dangers of AI controlled by profit-driven corporations, highlighting issues like data bias, accountability, and concentrated power over more existential concerns.
A Campaign Aide Didnât Write That Email. A.I. Did., 28 March 2023, The New York Times
The article discusses the accelerating use of AI in political campaigns for tasks like predictive analysis and voter data patterns, while also highlighting the potential disruption caused by AI-driven disinformation campaigns that challenge the concept of truth.
How Generative AI Impacts Democratic Engagement, 21 March 2023, Brookings
Researchers caution that the rise of large language models, exemplified by ChatGPT, poses a democracy threat due to their potential to create high-quality content, automate an overwhelming volume of text, and drown authentic public opinion.
6. Impact on Society: The way AI will change the landscape of our society and the new injustices we will likely need to fight
AI Will Upset Democracies, Dictatorships, and Elections, 5 March 2024, Gzero
AI is set to influence elections in democracies and dictatorships, using deepfakes and AI avatars to sway opinion and engage voters, while also providing tools for opposition leaders to challenge authoritarian regimes, with notable examples already from Pakistan to the US.
This podcast episode discusses the unprecedented challenges AI poses to global democracies in 2024, as seventy countries hold national elections affecting over two billion voters, and offer insights into safeguarding democratic integrity.
The Dawn of the AI Election, 4 January 2024, Prospect Magazine
This article highlights the critical concerns over AI's role in politics amidst the largest voter turnout in history, emphasizing the urgency of safeguarding elections from AI's potential misuse and the influence of major tech platforms.
Make no mistakeâAI is owned by Big Tech, 5 December 2023, MIT Technology Review
The article highlights the dominance of Big Tech companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and Google in the AI industry, emphasizing the risks of concentrated power, the lack of alternatives for AI development, and the potential threats to democracy, culture, and agency.
Blake Montgomery's podcast episode explores Sam Altman's brief dismissal and reinstatement as head of OpenAI, reflecting on the internal uproar it caused and hinting at a possible shift from altruistic to profit-driven motives in AI development which could have big implications.
Ten Ways AI Will Change Democracy, 6 November 2023, Harvard Kennedy School
This essay discusses ten ways AI could reshape democracy, including roles as educators and legislators, highlighting the rapid evolution of AI technology and its growing integration into democratic processes.
Senior AI experts warn of the dangers of powerful AI systems and advocate for policies enforcing accountability, safety measures, and ethical development, including a licensing system and independent audits.
Billionaires like Peter Thiel, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Marc Andreessen are influencing a new reality through AI, transhumanism, and other radical ventures, causing concern about the power concentration in these techno-oligarchs and the potential for significant social disruption.
How Unions Can Use ChatGPT and Generative AI for Growth, 29 July 2023, AlexWhite.org
Labour unions could leverage generative AI for growth, communication, campaigns, and operations, while being mindful of ethical considerations, by utilising it for creating content, summarising meetings, analysing text, extending education, and improving member services.
AI is rapidly reshaping the future of work, and leadership should embrace and adapt to AI for organisational success, with the article noting effective leaders will be those who understand how to utilise AI tools responsibly and ethically, and invest in employee re-skilling.
Eating Disorder Helpline Fires Staff, Transitions to Chatbot After Unionization, 25 May 2023, Vice
The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) has replaced its helpline staff with a chatbot named Tessa shortly after staff unionised, leading to a controversy where NEDA claims AI will improve services while union members see it as union-busting.
The Long Game Between Writers and AI, 10 May 2023, Politico
The Writers Guild of America strike involves concerns about generative AI as it seeks to prohibit AI's involvement in writing, reflecting growing anxiety about automation's impact on the entertainment industry, leading to a greater emphasis on establishing rules for AI use.
7. Regulation
a. European Regulation
DragoÈ Tudorache, a key architect of the AI Act, discusses his role in creating legislation to reshape the AI sector, highlighting the balance between innovation and responsibility in European AI policy.
Artificial Intelligence Act: MEPs Adopt Landmark Law, 13 March 2024, European Parliament News
The EU's AI Act sets a global precedent with stringent safeguards for general-purpose AI, limits on law enforcement's biometric identification, and bans on social scoring and manipulative AI, aiming to enhance safety and position Europe as a leader in ethical AI development.
EU Lawmakers Ratify Political Deal on Artificial Intelligence Rules, 13 February 2024, Reuters
The European Parliament has provisionally ratified the AI Act, aiming to establish the world's first comprehensive AI legislation that balances innovation with safeguarding fundamental rights and safety across various sectors
Five Things You Need to Know About the EUâs New AI Act, 11 December 2023, MIT Technology Review
The EU's new AI Act, focusing on "high-risk" AI systems, mandates transparency, ethics, and human oversight in AI use, establishes an AI Office for enforcement, and exempts military AI, giving tech companies up to two years for compliance.
The EU is expressing concerns about the impact of widely available generative AI tools on democratic societies, particularly during elections, and is calling for additional safeguards to address AI-generated disinformation while working on future regulations that may necessitate user disclosures.
Banning AI: How EU Regulation Might Affect Your Party, 4 July 2023, Party.party
Proposed EU AI regulations, designed to tackle issues like stereotype reinforcement and cognitive manipulation, could impact on political campaigns by limiting targeted voter outreach, access to sentiment analysis data, and imposing transparency demands on AI algorithms.
Digital Europe: Sandboxing the AI Act, June 2023
DigitalEurope's Pre-Regulatory Sandboxing Initiative assesses the impact of the proposed AI Act on European start-ups and SMEs, revealing support for regulatory clarity but concerns about innovation slowdown, compliance costs, and international competitiveness.
Europeans Take a Major Step Toward Regulating A.I., 14 June 2023, The New York Times
The European Parliament has advanced the A.I. Act draft law, a comprehensive attempt to mitigate AI risks with strict restrictions on facial recognition and increased data transparency for AI developers, showcasing Europe's leading efforts in AI regulation compared to other nations.
b. US & Canada Regulation
FiveThirtyEight Politics: How Much AI Regulation is the Right Amount?, June 14th 2024, ABC News
Gregory Allen, the Director of the Wadhwani Center for AI and Advanced Technologies, is interviewed about a new bipartisan AI policy roadmap by US senators, which proposes $32 billion for AI research and raises questions about regulation, copyright, and privacy in the tech industry.
The US federal government is preparing to mandate AI disclosure in campaign ads, requiring disclaimers on AI-generated content to increase voter transparency, with proposed laws and FCC rules aiming to inform voters when AI is used in political messaging.
The Biden administration has introduced guidelines for federal AI use, mandating strict safeguards by December 1st to ensure ethical, transparent, and accountable AI applications in government, requiring agencies to demonstrate safe AI use or cease its deployment.
âAn Arms Race Foreverâ as AI Outpaces Election Law, 7 February 2024, Politico
As the election cycle nears, this article examines the tension between innovative AI applications in politics and the urgent need for regulatory frameworks, highlighting the legislative vacuum and ethical implications of AI in shaping public discourse.
The Promising Movement Toward Creating AI Guardrails, 19 February 2024, Forbes
The establishment of the U.S. AI Safety Institute Consortium marks a significant step towards the ethical deployment of AI, reflecting a movement to balance innovation with responsibility by ensuring safety, fairness, and accountability, and aiming to build public trust.
The Campaign to Take Down the Biden AI Executive Order, 26 January 2024, Politico
This article explores the political struggle to undermine Biden's AI executive order, detailing pushback from tech lobbyists, GOP lawmakers, and conservative activists against using the Defense Production Act for AI regulation.
As the US enters a contentious election season, there's growing concern over AI-generated misinformation and debate about whether the tech sector or congressional regulation should lead in addressing it, amid challenges in state-level legislation.
Canadaâs AI Regulation is Moving Fast and Breaking (Legislative Process) Things, 3 October 2023, LinkedIn
Canada's proposed artificial intelligence law, AIDA, is under scrutiny for its hasty legislative process, with critics accusing the government of adopting an "agile" approach, potentially lacking adequate regulation and contextual consideration for the diverse applications of AI.
CEOs Tell Senators: Time to Regulate AI, 14 September 2023, Axios
CEOs, including Musk, Gates, Zuckerberg, and Altman, stressed the need for government AI regulation in a closed-door Senate briefing in D.C., yet the secrecy and CEO questioning limits prompted criticism, led by Senator Warren calling for transparency.
FEC to Consider New Rules for AI in Campaigns, 10 August 2023, The Hill
The Federal Election Commission has unanimously agreed to consider a proposal by consumer advocacy group Public Citizen to extend anti-"fraudulent misrepresentation" laws to deceptive AI-generated campaign communications, including generative AI and deepfakes.
The AI Rules that US Policymakers are Considering, Explained, 1 August 2023, Vox
The US government is engaging with AI policies and regulations, as evidenced by Biden's announcements, safety commitments from AI companies, and the Senateâs proposed approach, spanning developer rules, regulatory enforcement, research funding, and workforce initiatives.
Schumer, Humbled by AI, Crafts Crash Course for Senate, 18 July 2023, Axios
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer intends to conduct a series of nine "AI Insight Forums" aimed at educating Congress about AI before regulating it, acknowledging the complexities of the technology, and thereby postponing comprehensive AI regulations until at least 2024.
Deepfake Ads Strain Pre-AI Campaign Laws, Puzzling US Regulators, 17 July 2023, Bloomberg Law
Growing apprehension surrounds the use of deepfake images and videos in political campaigns especially following Ron DeSantisâ recent use of a deepfake in his campaign, as advocacy groups call for federal intervention due to a deadlock at the FEC regarding regulations.
Congress wants to regulate AI. Big Tech is Eager to Help, 5 July 2023, Los Angeles Times
Congress aims to regulate AI, yet faces difficulties in comprehending the swiftly evolving technology while tech companies lobby for regulations balancing existential threats and benefits, but concerns persist this distracts from current fundamental and systemic AI threats.
A.I.âs Use in Elections Sets Off a Scramble for Guardrails, 25 June 2023, The New York Times
The increasing use of AI in political campaigns is prompting debates over regulations, as politicians are using AI for generating campaign content, while concerns about disinformation and manipulation are driving efforts to establish safeguards such as disclaimers on political ads.
WIRED Business (Spoken Edition): Politicians Need to Learn How AI Works - Fast, 19 May 2023, WIRED
Missy Cummings discusses the need for policymakers to understand AI's concepts and impacts, outlining her course at George Mason University aimed at educating regulators about AI's risks and effects, urging politicians to become well-versed in AI for informed governance decisions.
Congress Wants To Regulate AI, But It Has a lot of Catching Up To Do, 15 May 2023, NPR
Drafting legislation aimed at regulating AI and mitigating its potential negative consequences are complicated by challenges such as AI's rapid evolution, historical struggles in regulating emerging technologies, and computer science and law expertise gaps among lawmakers.
c. Global Approach to Regulation
U.S., U.K. Announce Partnership to Safety Test AI Models, 1 April 2024, Time
The U.S. and U.K. have partnered to enhance AI model safety testing, aiming to harmonize methodologies and share resources, highlighting the importance of international cooperation for safe AI development.
Big Tech's New Rules of the Road for AI and Elections, 27 February 2024, Governing
Major tech corporations have pledged to address AI misuse in elections amidst rising concerns over AI's deceptive potential, though the success of this initiative depends on their commitment to substantial resource allocation and good faith efforts.
Big Tech Tells Politicians: Weâll Control the Deepfakes, 16 February 2024, Politico
Tech giants have formed an alliance to develop tools for detecting and debunking manipulated media to protect election integrity, although concerns remain about the effectiveness of these measures and their impact on information authenticity.
Meta has implemented a global ban on using its generative AI advertising tools for political campaigns and sensitive issues, as it assesses risks and builds safeguards amid expanding AI capabilities and upcoming elections in several nations.
The article emphasises the need for equitable and inclusive global AI governance to address potential inequalities and power imbalances, advocating for the involvement of diverse stakeholders and fair distribution of AI benefits.
A Patchwork of Rules and Regulations Wonât Cut it for AI, 5 November 2023, The Hill
This opinion piece praises AI's potential in sectors like healthcare and clean energy, while advocating for international regulatory harmony to avoid fragmentation and promote responsible AI development aligned with democratic values.
âWhen Regulating Artificial Intelligence, We Must Place Race and Gender at the Center of the Debateâ, 14 September 2023, El PaĂs
Brazilian anthropologist Fernanda K. Martins highlights algorithmic discrimination on digital platforms and advocates for a more inclusive approach to regulating AI and digital platforms, with a focus on race and gender, to address systemic issues like misinformation and hate speech.
Whose AI Revolution?, 1 September 2023, Project Syndicate
Divergent approaches to AI regulation are emerging worldwide, with the US, EU, and China each promoting their distinct models. Achieving international coordination is essential to establish consistent standards and promote equitable AI access, but remains challenging.
The evolving global power dynamics, including the rise of new contenders like China and India, and the significant role of tech giants in geopolitical events are discussed in the context of global AI regulations, particularly Europe's AI Act, China's AI measures, and the US's regulatory lag.
The AI Power Paradox, 16 August 2023, Foreign Affairs
This article envisions the year 2035, where AI's advancements coexist with substantial risks, underscoring AIâs potential while necessitating governance to mitigate its challenges using principles such as precaution, agility, inclusivity, and targeting, to create a global model.
OpenAI and Meta are advocating for global citizens' assemblies to regulate AI, funding deliberative processes to establish rules, but scepticism arises in their motivations and conflicts of interest, leading to debates on the authenticity of these initiatives as democratic endeavours.
d. Non-governmental and Industry Regulation
An AI Mayor? OpenAI Shuts Down Tools for Two AI Political Candidates, June 19th 2024, CNN
A mayoral candidate in Cheyenne, Wyoming, planned to use a customized AI chatbot named VIC for political decisions and governance but faced a setback when OpenAI shut down his access, underscoring the ongoing debate over AI's role in politics as technology outpaces regulation.
OpenAI has introduced a new feature for ChatGPT and DALL-E 3 that embeds provenance metadata in generated images to help users verify digital content origins and combat AI-generated misinformation..
Meta is enhancing transparency by announcing plans to label AI-generated content on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads to address concerns about deepfakes and misinformation ahead of the 2024 elections, collaborating with the Partnership on AI to develop standards.
OpenAI has announced that it will not allow its technology to be used for political campaigns, aiming to prevent the spread of AI-generated misinformation and disinformation in elections by implementing strict policies to ensure transparency and integrity.
Meta's new policy mandates disclosure of AI-generated imagery in political ads on Facebook and Instagram, as part of broader initiatives by tech companies like Microsoft's digital watermark, to combat AI-assisted disinformation in politics.
Valerie Wilson's article emphasises the role of policy and unions in ensuring equitable distribution of benefits from AI and automation, highlighting the need for stronger labor standards to combat rising inequalities exacerbated by Big Tech's influence.
Artists Across Industries are Strategizing Together Around AI Concerns, 7 October 2023, Tech Crunch
#AIdayofaction, led by Fight for the Future and musicians' labor groups, advocates for measures to prevent corporations from gaining copyrights on AI-generated art, to protect human creativity and maintain artists' involvement in the creative process amid AI's growing influence.
The general secretary of UNI Global Union highlights the influence of the Hollywood writers' strike, where the WGA's wins in technology, job security, and fair compensation resonate with workers in various fields, emphasising the important precedent for broader labour protections.
Workers Could be the Ones to Regulate AI, 2 October 2023, Financial Times
While the AI regulation debate has typically been top-down, the WGA's negotiation of rules for AI use in the entertainment industry shows that a bottom-up approach, giving workers a say in AI use and transparency, can shape AI regulation and may serve as a model for future efforts.
The Hollywood writers' strike has concluded with an agreement that includes strong protections against AI in screenwriting, ensuring that AI cannot independently create or modify literary material and that its use must remain at the discretion of human writers.
Google to Require Disclosures of AI Content in Political Ads, 8 September 2023, CNN
Starting in November, Google will require political ads to prominently disclose their use of AI-generated content in a "clear and conspicuous" manner, reflecting growing concerns about the spread of AI-generated misinformation in political campaigns.
AI-generated content presents a challenge for social media platforms during elections, as the absence of regulations leads platforms to grapple with self-regulation and containment of misinformation, with transparency measures like those on TikTok falling short.
UK to Host First Global Summit on Artificial Intelligence, 7 June 2023, Gov.uk
The UK has organised an inaugural global summit on AI safety, uniting countries, tech firms, and researchers to address AI risks, enable international cooperation, and advance responsible AI development, aligning with the nation's dedication to leadership in AI safety endeavours.
OpenAI Told DC Company it Can't Pitch Using ChatGPT for Politics, 17 May 2023, Semafor
OpenAI has intervened to restrict Washington, D.C.-based company FiscalNote from using ChatGPT for political advertising, limiting its use to grassroots advocacy campaigns and implementing measures to monitor and classify text related to electoral campaigns.
Disclaimer: The image used in this article was partially generated by AI and augmented by our design team.
