This article is a collaborative effort between nonprofit organizations Amplify Utah and The Salt Lake Tribune, in partnership with student media at the University of Utah , aimed at showcasing diverse perspectives in local media through student journalism.
The continuous advancements in artificial intelligence technology have prompted scientists and researchers to explore the potential risks and benefits associated with AI in the upcoming 2024 election.
While concerns exist regarding the misuse of AI by malicious entities to manipulate public opinion or compromise security, a University of Utah professor argues that AI should be perceived as a tool rather than a threat.
Mike Kirby, a faculty member at the U.’s Kahlert School of Computing and a key figure in the university’s Responsible AI Initiative (RAI), is actively engaging with various community stakeholders, including state officials, legal experts, and psychologists, to gather insights on the effective utilization of AI.
Funded by a substantial $100 million investment announced by the university in November, the RAI seeks to ethically leverage advanced AI technologies to address societal challenges such as environmental sustainability, education, and healthcare.
While the initiative’s primary focus does not currently encompass elections, Kirby suggests that it could potentially expand its scope to include electoral processes.
Kirby highlights the dichotomous portrayal of AI in the media, oscillating between a utopian marvel and a dystopian harbinger of doom. The RAI, he asserts, adopts a more balanced perspective that steers clear of these extreme narratives.
“We maintain a pragmatic viewpoint that is cautiously optimistic,” Kirby explains. He emphasizes the distinction between “healthy optimism” and unwarranted positivity, underlining the importance of acknowledging the challenges associated with AI adoption.
RAI’s approach involves accentuating the positive aspects of AI while acknowledging the complexities involved in its application, particularly in safeguarding against potential misuse in electoral contexts.
For instance, Kirby illustrates how certain AI applications can identify irregularities in voting patterns at a pace beyond human capacity, enabling the detection of anomalies warranting further investigation.
Kirby dispels the notion of AI as inherently malevolent, attributing negative outcomes like deepfakes and misinformation dissemination to malicious actors with nefarious intentions.
He underscores the need for consumer vigilance in the face of disinformation campaigns, advocating for awareness and critical evaluation of information sources.
In the realm of election security, Josh McCrain, an assistant professor of political science at the U., asserts that AI poses minimal threats. He affirms the robustness of election infrastructure and cautions against baseless skepticism fueled by partisan motives.
McCrain identifies deepfakes, AI-generated audio or video content distorting reality, as a primary concern due to their potential exploitation by malicious entities as seen in instances like the simulated robocall impersonating President Joe Biden.
Efforts to address deepfakes have led some states to enact legislation criminalizing nonconsensual deepfake pornography, while McCrain advocates for self-regulation by social media platforms to combat misinformation effectively.
Kirby acknowledges the complexity of mitigating deepfakes and disinformation, cautioning against excessive AI regulation that may inadvertently suppress legitimate information.
Balancing the need to combat disinformation with upholding freedom of expression poses a significant challenge, according to Kirby, underscoring the delicate equilibrium required in liberal democracies.
Written by Libbey Hanson, a student at the University of Utah, this article is part of a collaborative initiative involving nonprofit organizations Amplify Utah and The Salt Lake Tribune.
