The Future of Politics: How AI is Transforming Pennsylvania's Political Campaigns
Published on: March 10, 2024
In a pioneering move within political campaigning, voters in south-central Pennsylvania received calls from an AI named Ashley, campaigning for Democratic congressional candidate Shamaine Daniels. This initiative marks a significant first in interactive AI-powered political phone campaigns.
The calls, initiated by Ashley, begin with a clear introduction of its AI nature and its role in supporting Daniels in her bid to unseat House Republican Rep. Scott Perry. Pennsylvania’s 10th district, a key battleground for Democrats, is witnessing an innovative fusion of politics and advanced technology.
This campaign represents a new frontier in political engagement, leveraging generative AI systems to create interactive experiences. These systems, already deployed for writing campaign letters and automated text messages, now extend their influence to voice calls, offering a human-like interaction.
Despite the technological advancements, the deployment of AI in politics has raised alarms among security experts and ethicists. The lack of comprehensive regulations poses a challenge, with the Federal Election Commission still deliberating on measures to manage deceptive AI content in campaign advertisements.
Developed by Civox, a startup with founders in London and San Francisco, the AI volunteer, Ashley, engages in conversations about Daniels and her policies in a distinct metallic voice. Civox's initiative aligns with the rapid development of large language models by major tech companies, highlighting the urgency to adapt to this technological wave.
The use of AI in political campaigns, while innovative, brings a suite of risks, including the potential erosion of trust in political discourse. Public watchdogs and advocacy groups express concern about the accelerating use of AI without a firm understanding of its long-term implications.
Civox's approach with Ashley aims for transparency and public discourse about the role of AI in politics. Their technology records interactions to refine its responses and provide valuable data for the campaign, although its use of voter data remains a subject of debate.
Daniels endorses AI's role in democratizing campaign outreach, emphasizing its ability to communicate in multiple languages and engage a wider audience. However, the AI's limitations, such as repetitive responses and pauses, highlight that it's still an emerging technology in the realm of political canvassing.