The Talkdesk AI and the Election Survey outlines concerns about how deepfakes and misinformation could threaten democracy 

• 1 in 5 (21%) worry their vote could be swayed, perhaps unknowingly, by deepfakes.
• 58% believe deepfakes could be developed to discredit election results.
• 63% are concerned that misinformation could make the election more contentious.

Fifty-five percent of Americans surveyed are concerned about the prospect of election-related deepfakes - where an audio clip, photo, or video has been convincingly altered and manipulated to misrepresent someone - and the potential negative effect on democracy, according to the Talkdesk AI and the Election Survey.

The new research provides insight into voters’ concerns about artificial intelligence (AI)-driven election interference and who they believe bears the mitigation responsibility. These concerns come as 55% of respondents say AI content recommendations heighten political polarization. More concerning, 51% would lose trust in the political system if AI deepfakes influence the election, with 1 in 10 saying they would never vote in an election again, including 18% of Gen Z voters, many of whom are first-time voters in 2024.

Talkdesk®, Inc., a global provider of AI-powered customer experience (CX) technology that serves enterprises of all sizes, surveyed 1,000 American voters, aged 18 and over, and found that they’re seriously concerned about ethical and transparent AI use related to the election. But the research also found that amid the heightened presence of election-related deepfakes, other areas of everyday life are being impacted, including brand-consumer relationships. One-third (35%) of Americans say election-related deepfakes raise questions about everything they see online and two-thirds (68%) say it makes them more wary of how brands leverage AI.

Many American voters don’t trust even their own decisions in light of AI being used to influence the election. In fact, 21% expect their vote could be swayed by an AI deepfake, possibly without their knowledge, and one-third (31%) of voters aren’t always able to identify whether AI-generated content is real or fake.

Below are additional findings from the report:

Election Deepfakes Could Create a Contentious Environment Leading Up to and After the Election

• 63% of Americans surveyed are concerned AI will create a more contentious political environment leading into the election.
• 58% are concerned that AI could be used to generate content discrediting the election results after they’re announced.

Consumers Believe Candidates and Lawmakers Should Bear Responsibility for Eliminating Harmful AI Content

• 55% believe the government should be doing more to stop the spread of deepfakes through regulation, and 51% think it should be illegal to create deepfakes.
• 50% will evaluate candidates on their efforts to be proactive in stopping AI-generated misinformation.

Supporting Quote

William Welch, president and chief operating officer at Talkdesk, said: “AI has been a hot topic across industries for several years. Many businesses have implemented AI-powered tools to achieve greater efficiency and boost the customer experience to new heights. However, AI remains a foreign concept to most consumers, and the rapid rise of generative AI has only muddied the waters further with tools that are easy to access and use but hard to regulate. Bad actors use AI to lure unsuspecting individuals and businesses into scams, and the impact on American democracy in the 2024 presidential election could be significant if we don’t put targeted, proactive mitigation measures in place today.”

Additional Resources

Customer experience is often the first place AI is adopted in an enterprise. Talkdesk has been serving up practical AI in the contact center since 2018 and is an expert at enabling brands to implement guardrails for ethical AI. Learn more about how Talkdesk empowers responsible AI usage through its new suite of Generative AI (GenAI) features that make AI more responsible, accurate, and accessible in the contact center.

About Talkdesk

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