As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more accessible and prominent in so many facets of our lives, AI has seeped into political campaigns. To deter the possibility of AI in political campaigns, the Georgia House of Representatives recently passed legislation (HB 986) to stop the spread of misinformation through a campaign video using deceptive AI impersonating another candidate.
The legislation states in relevant part that a “person commits the offense of fraudulent election interference if he or she, with knowledge of its falsity, publishes, broadcasts, streams, or uploads materially deceptive media within 90 days of an election with the intent to deceive one or more electors for the purpose of” significantly influencing a candidate’s chances of being elected, creating confusion about the administration of an election, or otherwise influencing an election. The bill expressly exempts protected speech such as “satire, parody, works of artistic expression, or works of journalism by bona fide news organizations.” The bill states that the penalty for an offense of fraudulent election interference is a felony, with the possibility of between two and five years imprisonment, and a fine of up to $50,000.00.
According to one recent article, “AI has become a widely popular and emerging technology that lawmakers across the country are concerned poses threats to society. [Recently] lawmakers in the U.S. House announced an AI task force to create guardrails and recommend policy. Last October, President Biden signed a sweeping executive order that focuses on managing the risks of AI.”
The House passed the legislation with broad bipartisan support with a vote of 148-22. As of March 18, the Georgia Senate had not yet acted on the legislation.