The U.S. government is working "extensively" on a framework to keep artificial intelligence from disrupting the 2024 election, according to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, who says she is "very worried" about the technology being used in a nefarious manner.
"AI can do amazing things and AI can disrupt our elections, here and around the world," Raimondo told reporters Thursday, reports ABC News.
The Commerce Department has created a consortium between government and private companies to tackle AI issues.
"This is a big deal," Raimondo said. "This is the largest collection of frontline AI developers, users, researchers, and interested groups in the world. In this consortia, which we're starting off with more than 200 members, we have Fortune 500 companies, academic teams, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies joined forces to focus on the research and development necessary to enable safe and trustworthy AI systems."
Her announcement comes as AI was used to create a robocall that was sent out the day of the New Hampshire primary, purporting to be from President Joe Biden and used to spread misinformation on the state's voting times.
Raimondo said the government's framework will help Americans, including journalists, to work out what information is real and what is not, and said she has found that AI companies want to do the right thing.
"Am I worried? Yes," she said. "Do I think we have the tools to protect our election and our democracy? Yes. Do I feel based on my interactions with the private sector that they want to do the right thing? By and large, Yes. It's a big threat."
Raimondo added that the government will "have to stay ahead of trends" when it comes to China and the use of AI, and noted that people often ask her if AI will "eliminate the human race."
"We are in charge of how we develop and use and regulate AI, so I feel that way about the election," said Raimondo. "And it's on us, right now, to do the right things."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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