Microsoft and OpenAI launch $2M fund to counter election deepfakes
Microsoft and OpenAI have announced a $2 million fund to combat the growing risks of AI and deepfakes being used to deceive the voters and undermine democracy. This year will see a record 2 billion people head to the polls in elections spanning some 50 countries, so there are concerns around the influence that AI will have among voters — particularly those in vulnerable communities that may be more susceptible to take what they see at face value.
Threats of AI-generated deepfakes
The rise of generative AI, including popular chatbots such as ChatGPT, has led to a major new threat landscape involving AI-generated deepfakes designed to perpetuate disinformation. These tools enable anyone to create fake videos, photos, or audio of high-profile political entities, posing a significant risk to the integrity of elections.
Actions taken by major tech companies
As a response to these threats, major tech companies, including Microsoft and OpenAI, have signed voluntary pledges to counter such risks and are working on building a common framework to address deepfakes created explicitly to mislead voters. Companies like Google and Meta have also started implementing restrictions in their software to prevent the spread of election-related disinformation through AI tools.
Initiatives by OpenAI and Microsoft
OpenAI has launched a new deepfake detector for disinformation researchers, aimed at identifying fake content generated by its own DALL-E image generator. Additionally, OpenAI has joined the steering committee for the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA), alongside other industry leaders.
Societal Resilience Fund
The newly established "societal resilience fund" by Microsoft and OpenAI is part of a broader push towards responsible AI governance. The fund aims to further AI education and literacy among voters and vulnerable communities, with grants being issued to organizations like Older Adults Technology Services (OATS), C2PA, International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), and Partnership on AI (PAI).
According to Microsoft, these grants will help create a better understanding of AI and its capabilities across society. The fund reflects the commitment of Microsoft and OpenAI to address the challenges in AI literacy and education, emphasizing collaboration with like-minded organizations and initiatives.
