Rep. Joseph Morelle (D-N.Y.) sent a letter to the Justice Department (DOJ) Monday calling for an investigation into what appears to be President Biden’s voice, generated by artificial intelligence (AI), urging voters not to show up in New Hampshire.
Morelle, in his note to Attorney General Merrick Garland, said he is deeply concerned about the affects AI could have on the upcoming elections.
He asked the DOJ to look into the incident ahead of Tuesday’s first-in-the-nation primary in the Granite State, and to ensure the responsible parties are held accountable. The probe, he said he hopes, could help to prevent the spread of “AI-generated mis-and disinformation in future elections.”
The New Hampshire attorney general’s office said Monday that it received complaints about a recorded message that “sounds like” Biden, but appeared to be AI-generated.
The office explained the calls appear to be an unlawful effort to disrupt the primary, as voters cast their ballots in one of the first major contests of the 2024 election season. They encouraged voters to disregard the message and to report any information they have about the incident to the state.
“This clear bid to interfere in the New Hampshire primary demands a thorough investigation and a forceful response from federal officials to deter further AI-based attacks that will disrupt American democracy and disenfranchise American voters,” said Morelle’s letter, which was obtained by Punchbowl News.
A spokesperson for Biden’s write-in campaign said the call was reported to the authorities.
It was unclear how many people received the call, but a spokesperson for Kathy Sullivan — a former state Democratic Party chair — said she heard from at least a dozen people who received the call, The Associated Press reported.
“The oaths we swore to protect and defend the Constitution require us to use every tool at our disposal to shield the sanctity of our elections,” Morelle’s letter reads.
“If Congress can strengthen law enforcement’s ability to detect and prevent AI-based attempts to subvert our elections, we look forward to working with you to identify and achieve any meaningful and well-defined standards to protect our democracy,” he added.
The Hill has reached out to Morelle’s office and the DOJ Office of Public Affairs for more information.
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