MYFest2024: Is AI a Threat to Democracy? Session 1/3

Jon Ippolito facilitates the MYFest session held on 25 June 2024. In this three-part session series, we use the metaphoric structure: AI as a Growing Child. So in this first session we describe AI’s impact on democracy as the “adolescent phase,” where it can be rebellious and unpredictable. Just as it would be irresponsible to let a young child adolescent play with a firearm, AI and elections are a volatile mix. From deep-faked images of politicians to more subtle threats that can disable government infrastructure, this session demonstrates how AI tools can help saboteurs destabilize democracy. Participants learn the weaknesses of commonly proposed solutions like AI watermarks as well as other solutions with a greater chance of safeguarding the democratic process.