WASHINGTON – While fake videos of Democratic candidate Kamala Harris spread on social media but fail to garner much interest, state officials are preparing for what they see as a much more dangerous hoax days before the U.S. presidential election. : Fake robocalls.

Officials in states from Arizona to Vermont are bracing for fake audio messages transmitted directly to home and mobile phones and out of public view, a concern exacerbated by the rapid advancement of generative artificial intelligence technology.

And unlike AI-generated photos and videos, which often have small, telltale signs of manipulation, like an extra finger on a person’s hand, it’s harder for the average voter to spot a fake phone call, experts said. .

in front of the November 5 elections pitting Harris against Republican Donald TrumpElection officials are on alert for the first examples of such calls. In January, a Robocall impersonating US President Joe Biden circulated in New Hampshire, urging Democrats to stay home during the primaries and “save your vote for the November elections.” The political consultant behind the robocall was fined US$6 million (S$7.9 million) in September.

“We have already seen examples of audio deepfakes. It’s not something that is this imaginary technology. It’s here,” said Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold.

The audio is more concerning because it is difficult to track and verify, said Amy Cohen, executive director of the National Association of State Election Directors, a nonpartisan professional organization for election directors.

“Even without AI, all election officials spend hours chasing each other because of robocalls,” he said.

This is because investigating robocalls (robocalls that deliver a recorded message) depends on people hearing the call correctly, recognizing that the call is fake, and then reporting it to authorities. Election officials rarely receive a recording of the robocall, Cohen added.

To prepare, election directors have considered potential scenarios in training sessions and discussions throughout the year, according to interviews with officials in six states.

To arm themselves, officials are using decidedly old-school strategies.

In Colorado, election officials have considered how to react if they themselves are the target of deep fake calls. For example, what should officials do if they receive a call with a voice that sounds like Ms. Griswold’s, instructing them to change voting hours at polling places? Griswold says he has ordered officials to hang up and call his office if they suspect anything out of the ordinary.