Event Recaps

Issue One and Public Citizen host bipartisan event on threats posed by AI on democracy


Issue One recently partnered with Public Citizen to host a virtual event that brought together a bipartisan group of congressional leaders and election officials to discuss the threats posed by generative artificial intelligence (AI) to our democracy.

 

From deepfake election ads to threats to election administration, AI is rapidly evolving – and the potential harms to the election information environment have been top of mind to election officials.

Speakers included:

  • Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), who recently introduced bipartisan legislation that would ban deceptive AI-generated content in political ads
  • Congressman Ken Buck (R-CO)
  • Commissioner Thomas Hicks, U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
  • Wesley Wilcox, Faces of Democracy member and Supervisor of Elections from Marion County, Florida
  • Matt Skibinski, NewsGuard General Manager
  • Robert Weissman, Public Citizen President
  • Lisa Gilbert, Public Citizen Executive Vice President
  • Nick Penniman, Issue One Founder and CEO
  • Elise Wirkus, Issue One Legislative Director

This important conversation about the threats posed by generative AI also reinforced the critical need for increased federal funding to ensure that election officials have the resources they need to continue administering safe, secure, and fair elections in advance of the 2024 election and beyond.

Watch a recording of the event.