US election officials prepare for AI deepfake robocalls before 2024 election
US election officials in multiple states prepared for the threat of AI-generated deepfake robocalls ahead of the November 2024 presidential election, following an earlier incident in which a robocall impersonating President Biden was used in the New Hampshire primary. Officials acknowledged that audio deepfakes are difficult for voters and authorities to detect compared to synthetic video or images.
What happened
In January 2024, a robocall impersonating U.S. President Joe Biden circulated in New Hampshire, urging Democrats to stay home during the primary and "save your vote for the November election." The political consultant behind the robocall was fined $6 million in September 2024.
As of late October 2024, US election officials in states from Arizona to Vermont were preparing for the threat of deepfake robocalls—fake audio messages piped directly to home and mobile phones—ahead of the November 5, 2024 presidential election between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.
Reported impact
Audio deepfakes are considered more difficult for the average voter to spot compared to AI-generated photos and videos, which often have telltale signs of manipulation. Unlike other synthetic media, deepfake robocalls are difficult to track and verify, and investigating them depends on people hearing the call correctly, recognizing it is fake, and reporting it to authorities.
Index analysis
Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold stated, "We've already seen examples of audio deepfakes. It's not something that is this imaginary technology. It's here." Amy Cohen, executive director of the National Association of State Election Directors, noted that audio is most concerning because it is difficult to track and verify.
Governance controls
Colorado election officials considered potential scenarios in training sessions and discussions throughout 2024 to prepare for deepfake robocalls. Election officials instructed staff to hang up and call their office if they received calls with manipulated voices of officials, such as calls falsely instructing them to alter voting hours at polling locations.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.