AIandYou's Voter Education Campaign Takes on AI-Generated Misinformation for 2024 Elections

AIandYou, a nonprofit organization aiming to educate underrepresented racial and ethnic groups about AI, is launching a public awareness campaign to prepare voters for the possible spread of AI-generated misinformation in the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election. This initiative is the first of its kind for the 2024 election cycle and seeks to address concerns about AI's potential to create fake content that could influence voters.

The campaign, which is still in its early stages, began with traditional outreach efforts such as an informative video about AI's uses and risks, along with an online database of election-related AI news and voter resources. The nonprofit is also considering hosting a town hall on AI and the election in the coming months.

One unique aspect of this campaign involves using AI-generated content, specifically deepfake videos, to make voters more familiar with this type of content. The plan is to run AI-generated ads during the primary elections, which are set to start early next year. These ads may include deepfake videos of political figures, like President Joe Biden, saying things they never said, with disclaimers at the end indicating that the content is not real and directing viewers to the nonprofit's resources.

The campaign aims to raise awareness about AI literacy, highlighting the importance of understanding how AI can be used in political campaigns. It will target young people of color and women, two demographics expected to have a significant impact on the 2024 elections. Young voters, in particular, are more likely to spend time online, where disinformation and misinformation can spread rapidly.

To ensure that the campaign feels organic and relatable to the target audience, AIandYou plans to collaborate with micro-influencers—smaller social media accounts with loyal followings. Content may also be tailored to specific demographics, such as Spanish-language ads for Hispanic voters.

The campaign has set a fundraising goal of $3 million and is reaching out to various apolitical groups, including venture capitalists, for funding. While some tech companies have taken steps to regulate AI-generated political content, there is still a need for public education on this issue, especially as AI's role in political advertising evolves.