How artificial intelligence will influence campaigns for the 2024 election

In the digital age, many political figureheads are trying new ways to reach a growing generation of new voters ahead of the 2024 presidential election this November. The newest wave of artificial intelligence (AI) technology has exploded into the mainstream within the last few years. Recent events have shown how it has shaped up to be one way both Democrats and Republicans have tried to reach new voters.

In January, before the New Hampshire Republican primary election, an AI-generated robocall with the voice of President Joe Biden was sent to the voters in the state. According to the Associated Press, it “employs his often-used phrase, “What a bunch of malarkey” then told the listener to “save your vote for the November election.” 

This is not the first time AI has seen use in the political world. The presidential campaign for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis released a video in 2023 on social media that used images generated by AI to depict former President Donald Trump hugging Dr. Anthony Fauci, former chief medical advisor under Biden. Earlier that year, the Republican National Committee (RNC) shared an AI-generated video showing a dystopian future if Democrats were elected. The ad showed scenes of chaos featuring burning cars and looting.

So, the question is how do or how can political parties use AI technology to reshape future U.S. elections? = AI allows parties to campaign with few resources just as effectively as larger campaigns with more resources while creating just as much content and voter reach, which could lead to both bad and good for the election cycle in America. 

Political campaigning with AI technology can allow parties to strategically counter political opponents in a matter of seconds with little to no resources, as seen with the RNC’s “Beat Biden” video. Despite this, AI-created political advertising also contributes massively to online disinformation. Disinformation spread through AI advertising according to Axios can range from fake video images (as seen with the video showing Trump hugging Dr. Fauci), dubbing over speeches to twist a candidate's words and inserting incendiary words into candidates' speeches making it seem as if they had said them.

Another major way political parties can use AI to influence their campaigns is through individualized messaging. Based on a voter’s demographics, AI can tailor messages for that specific voter. This makes it possible for campaigns to develop more focused messaging, which might raise the possibility of convincing people to support their candidate. This can make processes like speech writing or polling for candidates a lot more accurate to the wishes of the voter. 

AI technology can “democratize the public comment process.” According to Brookings, “machine learning can collect and summarize an individual’s interests and may eventually match those priorities with specific issues on which regulatory agencies are receiving public comment.” This can assist both activists and politicians at all political levels, making their comments more persuasive for the general public.

However, AI technology in this situation can also be used to spread disinformation. Going back to the robocall of Biden before the New Hampshire primary, a fake AI-generated message using the president's voice was manipulated by an unknown source to encourage voters to not vote in the Republican primary. Evidently, opponents of political parties can use AI technology to create individualized messaging that misinforms voters. Additionally, AI can falsify “letters to elected officials, public comments, and other written endorsements of specific bills or positions that are often difficult to distinguish from those written by actual constituents.”

Similar to how 2016 and 2020 were dubbed the "social media elections," it is probable that 2024 will be significantly shaped by artificial intelligence. The future of political campaigns is expected to be more streamlined and customized to match voter preferences. However, AI is also likely to be exploited for disseminating misinformation and provoking public sentiment, just like social media's influence in the previous elections. 

This year will prove to be an important year for democracy not only in the United States, but in 62 other countries, and, as technology progresses, policymakers and citizens will need to be wary of AI developments to ensure that it is utilized as a catalyst for enhancing democracy and driving positive change.