Is AI-Driven Misinformation the Greatest Threat to the 2024 Election?

Much of what we believe to be true is a product of the news we consume, which is why misinformation has become a more worrying threat. 94% of Americans are concerned about the spread of misinformation swaying the 2024 election, according to a recent study by Parsons and the CAI.

AI deepfakes are no longer a future worry – they're a threat to elections right now. FBI Director Christopher Wray has warned that with new AI tech, it's easier than ever for foreign enemies to cause issues. It has never been more important to equip people with the tools and skills required to decipher the authenticity of digital information.

This is why GPTZero launched a partnership with the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and NewsGuard, a leading anti-misinformation resource — setting a new standard for media literacy in the age of AI. Yet there is something everyone can do to fight misinformation — learn more through the steps below. 

What is AI-driven misinformation?

AI-driven misinformation is fake news but at scale and speed. Spreaders of misinformation use large language models to make and spread false claims quicker and more convincingly than ever — with fake news articles, “deepfake” videos of people saying things they never said, or fake social media campaigns to deceive voters. 

These days, the amplifying capabilities of AI can be customized to particular individuals and groups of people and use their personal data to make the fake content even more credible and persuasive. It is scary how hard it is for citizens to tell the difference between what is real and fake. No matter how smart anyone is, the technological advancements in AI have made it much harder for voters to spot what is true and what is manipulation. 

Why does disinformation matter so much?

If we can’t differentiate between fact and fiction, governments and businesses will become more and more susceptible to new kinds of attacks. Bad actors are more likely to take advantage of vulnerabilities and create content that changes how people perceive candidates, discourages voting, or even causes public unrest, which threatens electoral integrity and potentially social stability. 

Synthetic video generation, or “deepfake” video technology, is becoming more sophisticated and more of a threat, with recent examples (such as a fake video of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky announcing a surrender) showing how the technology is evolving faster than legal and regulatory frameworks can keep up.

Traditional ways of fact-checking are also failing to keep up, and automated systems are churning out content quicker than human fact-checkers can react. This makes it increasingly challenging to contain fake news before it spreads. This is why, besides developing more powerful tools, we also need a generally heightened level of media literacy and critical thinking skills going forward. 

How to fight AI misinformation 

Fighting AI misinformation starts with recognizing how ‘real’ fake news can appear – and how scarily quickly it can spread. With a combination of AI detection tools and helpful reminders, you can stay equipped to battle AI misinformation. 

Here are some things you can do to combat misinformation:

Check before you post or reshare

Before you share content, use an AI content detector like GPTZero or a tool like Newsguard. These tools can help you understand a little bit more about the source of information. It is also worth cross-checking content with other reputable news sources to make sure that what you’re reading is actually genuine news. 

Avoid purely social sources without citations

Social media tends to amplify, and it’s important to be especially cautious during emotional events like elections when misinformation is likely to spike. If you’re going to share news, make sure there are citations or an original source, and that they are credible. 

Evaluate news article sources critically

It is healthy these days to have a certain level of digital skepticism. When you’re reading a news piece – besides looking for corroboration from other sources – think about who wrote the piece, their credentials, and the publication’s reputation. 

Complain about false news promptly

On each social media platform and news website, there is usually a reporting mechanism. If you come across a story you think might be false, take a moment to report it through those channels. There are also fact-checking organizations (like Reuters Fact Check) that can help verify news stories. 

Choose to support quality journalism

Despite the avalanche of content that comes with new tools, there are still reputable news outlets that support in-depth, investigative journalism, as well as well-researched, factual content. If you can, subscribe to these outlets – or support them by sharing their stories. 

Our mission at GPTZero: preserve content integrity

Fighting fake news is no longer optional. Knowing how to tell the difference between credible and fake news has become a key skill necessary for citizens and voters, and we have to go beyond simply recognizing it to supporting quality journalism and building our digital literacy. The ability to think critically is key, but so too are the steps that have been mentioned.

GPTZero is on a mission to enable responsible AI use and preserve the value of human content. Since launching the first AI identification platform in January 2023, we’ve provided software solutions to millions of users for identifying AI involvement in assignments and verifying the authenticity of human writing. 

We know that being able to distinguish the veracity of news is a critical educational skill for the 21st century – and that, as a type of literacy in itself, it is ideally part of classroom discussions. This is why here at GPTZero, we’ve teamed up with teachers to make this a reality. 

Our partnership with The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and NewsGuard means AFT members have priority access to a series of new tools developed for pedagogical AI teaching, including the GPTZero Origins Writing Report and a series of practical AI workshops co-organized by the AFT and GPTZero. The first 15,000 teachers to register will receive unlimited school-year access to GPTZero’s core AI identification platform. AFT members looking to start using these tools today can fill out the form at this site.

However, it isn’t just up to teachers and students to combat misinformation. It is up to all of us, to move beyond passively consuming information to actively verifying the information we are consuming. 

This matters now more than ever because the tools that are driving AI-driven misinformation have the potential to topple democratic discourse and electoral integrity. Democracy and open communication go hand in hand, and it is up to us as informed citizens to build the digital habits outlined above so that we can protect both.