Sam Altman says he is already nervous about AI’s impact on future elections

Altman’s tweets outline both apprehension about the role of AI in shaping future elections and a proactive approach to mitigating risks.

By: Tech Desk

New Delhi | Updated: August 5, 2023 05:50 PM IST

3 min read

Altman’s comments come at a time when the world has been witnessing the harm that deep fakes and misinformation can cause to society. (Express Image/Agencies)

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Artificial intelligence has been taking over various aspects of our lives. It comes as no surprise that AI will pervade elections at some point in time. Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, seems to be already concerned about how AI may play a role in elections.

In a series of tweets, Altman expressed his concerns and contemplations regarding the influence of AI in elections in the future. He expressed his worries about how AI technologies will be used for something known as personalised persuasion and high-quality generated media and the importance of recognising these as powerful forces in shaping public sentiments.

“i am nervous about the impact AI is going to have on future elections (at least until everyone gets used to it). personalized 1:1 persuasion, combined with high-quality generated media, is going to be a powerful force,” tweeted Altman.

Altman’s tweets not only demonstrate the awareness of the complexity of the issue at hand, but it also shows a willingness to address it. In September 2022, Altman’s OpenAI unveiled its sensational AI chatbot ChatGPT, which surprised the world with its humanish responses and astounding use case. ChatGPT steered various organisations to experiment with generative AI, essentially AI that can generate content, images, videos, and many other formats.

Also Read | ChatGPT to be powered by GPT-5 soon? 5 things we expect from powerful LLM

Altman’s comments come at a time when the world has been witnessing the harm that deep fakes and misinformation can cause to society. In his subsequent tweets, Altman mentions the need for raising awareness hinting at fostering a proactive stance rather than harbouring passive apprehensions.

“Although not a complete solution, raising awareness of it is better than nothing. we are curious to hear ideas, and will have some events soon to discuss more,” read his tweet. His thread also suggests an understanding of the consequences of AI on elections which may not be entirely negative. However, through awareness and public discourse, these risks may be addressed.

Altman’s tweet also indicated his eagerness to participate in events to discuss these concerns, showing his commitment to hold a dialogue with the community. It needs to be noted that Altman is not merely expressing his worry, but is also encouraging his followers to engage in a conversation on the influence of AI on elections.

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