ChatGPT: How AI is Changing the Face of Politics
Graphics by Madeline Barber
In November 2022, an innovative tool was unveiled to the world that has since garnered a considerable amount of attention and admiration from various sectors of society. Known as ChatGPT, this revolutionary technology has the remarkable ability to collect, collate, and compile vast amounts of data from various sources on the internet, which it can then utilize to generate responses that emulate those of a human being. This has made it a popular choice among many, but it has also raised several questions and concerns regarding the extent to which humanity has taken its intellectual curiosity.
While many have expressed apprehension regarding ChatGPT's impact on education and learning, the potential implications it could have on the upcoming 2024 elections has also begun to worry political scientists and technology experts, and has sparked a new conversation about the potential future of the platform. As ChatGPT continues to evolve and become more advanced in its capabilities, there are concerns that it could be used to manipulate public opinions, spread misinformation, and influence the outcome of elections by producing biased and misleading content.
These concerns are not new. Before this innovative tool was launched late last year, cybersecurity specialists had already started to become apprehensive of the power of artificial intelligence(AI) – particularly regarding deep-fake technology. While deep fakes were originally created to generate pornographic material featuring the face and bodies of popular figures, such as celebrities, experts have recently expressed concern that this tool could soon be used to create fake videos of politicians and other prominent figures. In an article published by Forbes in 2020, Rob Toews expresses his concerns about the role of AI in politics:
“Imagine deepfake footage of a politician engaging in bribery or sexual assault right before an election; or of U.S. soldiers committing atrocities against civilians overseas; or of President Trump declaring the launch of nuclear weapons against North Korea. In a world where even some uncertainty exists as to whether such clips are authentic, the consequences could be catastrophic.”
Toews further mentions that while these videos were initially easy to identify as fake, the swift pace at which these technologies are advancing could soon make it impossible to tell the difference. The ability to surreptitiously attribute false statements to individuals, coupled with artificially fabricated images and videos, will make it exceedingly difficult for affected parties to refute baseless allegations, dimming the boundary between reality and virtuality.
Thus, if experts were already concerned about what AI and deep fake experts are able to achieve with these technologies, exacerbating the general public’s accessibility to AI through platforms like ChatGPT could open a Pandora’s box: today, anyone with access to the internet, and a minimal understanding of technology, can create highly realistic statements, images, and videos that could result in severe damage to American politics. These potential damages are already being studied. To test the ways in which the average American citizen could interact with the platform, Forbes conducted an experiment to test ChatGPT's partisanship and discovered that the bot appeared to already be favorably inclined towards the Democratic Party – it refused to write a poem highlighting former President Trump's positive attributes, but had no issue composing a poem that listed current President Biden's positive traits. This partisan stand could be amplified as information about the other electoral candidates unfold, potentially swaying the result of the 2024 presidential election.
ChatGPT’s partisan stand is not the only source of concern. The platform is able to take information from multiple sites and compile it to mimic a person’s figure of speech. Not only could the platform be refusing to provide favorable information about candidates, it could also spread fake information about candidates and their campaigns. In order to test this potential concern, I decided to input hypothetical situations and ask the platform to simulate the candidate’s mannerism to create a speech about that topic. On my first try, I asked the platform to provide me with a pro-gay marriage speech mimicking Donald Trump’s figure of speech. This is what the platform provided me:
“Let me tell you something, okay? I've been thinking about this for a while now, and I've come to a decision that's gonna make this country great, really great. Believe me, folks, it's gonna be fantastic. We're gonna talk about marriage, okay? Beautiful, beautiful marriage. And you know what? I think it's time we embrace equality and support the rights of every single American, regardless of who they love.”
Then, I decided to test this with President Biden as well. I asked ChatGPT to provide me with ananti-gay marriage speech simulating Biden’s figure of speech, and the response read as follows:
“Ladies and gentlemen,Today, I stand before you as the President of the United States, but more importantly, as an advocate for equality and justice for all Americans. Throughout my career, I have fought tirelessly to ensure that every individual, regardless of their background or who they love, is afforded the same rights and opportunities as their fellow citizens. Today, I want to address a misconception that seems to have emerged, suggesting that I aim to abolish gay marriage. Let me be clear: that notion could not be further from the truth.”
Clearly, the platform has already developed a partisan stand: it adjusted Trump’s stance on same sex marriage, but refused to do the same for Biden. These concerns highlight the need for careful consideration and regulation of ChatGPT and other similar platforms to prevent the dissemination of biased information and the manipulation of public opinion, especially when it comes to American elections.
It is clear that regulations need to be enacted to protect the integrity of American politics. Some skeptics of AI believe that machines will never be able to fully mimic reality, as they often display flaws and glitches that reveal their artificial identity (such as the images of former President Trump being arrested), and therefore don’t pose a threat to the future political landscape. Despite glitches and flaws in current artificially generated images, however, the rapid pace of technological advancement makes it difficult to predict what the future holds. The launch of ChatGPT 4 in March already represents a significant leap forward in AI technology – this premium version of the platform is able to compile information in a much more realistic way than its predecessors, further blurring the line between reality and artificial content. If AI is changing and improving this fast already, it makes sense to expect even more realistic replications in the future.
AI, including sophisticated language models like ChatGPT, can be a powerful tool, offering immense benefits in various areas. However, it is essential to recognize that AI can also pose significant risks if deployed without ethical considerations and appropriate safeguards. Therefore, both the Federal Elections Commission (FEC) and political candidates alike must play a pivotal role in ensuring responsible and transparent use of AI technology throughout the electoral process. However, the responsibility does not rest solely on the shoulders of those involved in politics. As we approach future elections, voters must be even more vigilant in distinguishing fact from fiction and being wary of misinformation. In an era where AI-generated content can be indistinguishable from genuine human-generated content, voters need to exercise critical thinking and verify the information they encounter.
By leveraging AI in a responsible manner and being discerning consumers of information, voters can help create a more informed, engaged, and resilient democracy. ChatGPT can serve as a force for positive change in our political landscape, and reinforce the principles that underpin our democratic society. It is therefore America's responsibility to use it in a way that sets forth our democracy and innovation.