(NationalUSNews.com) — Democratic lawmakers recently demanded the Justice Department investigate a robocall that imitated President Joe Biden and called for Democratic voters to avoid the New Hampshire primary. New York Representative Joseph Morelle wrote a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland, expressing his concern about how malicious actors can use artificial intelligence to influence the upcoming presidential election. Morelle requested an investigation into the robocall, claiming that the Justice Department should hold the responsible party accountable.
NBC News first reported the strange robocalls just days before the New Hampshire primaries. According to the New Hampshire attorney general’s office, the state’s attorney general received multiple complaints about the calls. The robocalls in question used Joe Biden’s voice but appeared to be AI-generated, raising concerns amongst lawmakers about artificially generated misinformation that could disrupt important national elections. In response to the complaints, the New Hampshire attorney general’s office urged voters to ignore the robocall and participate in the primary.
Morelle said that the robocalls were an apparent attempt at interfering with the election process, and federal authorities should respond to the robocall to deter further incidents involving AI. A spokesperson for President Joe Biden responded to the incident, confirming the president’s write-in campaign reported the call to New Hampshire and federal authorities. The total number of potential voters who received the call remains unknown, but some former political officials claim that at least a dozen people reported the robocall.
Morelle said that the oath sworn by authorities requires them to address the AI robocalls, as they pose a threat to the United States Constitution. Morelle also called for lawmakers to pass laws regarding AI detection to prevent other parties from using AI for election interference. According to Morelle, AI detection policies are essential to protecting American democracy. The Justice Department released a statement confirming it had received the letter but didn’t disclose any information about a potential investigation into the mysterious robocalls.
Despite the robocall, the New Hampshire primary received a strong voter turnout. New Hampshire voters favored former President Donald Trump, marking a significant win for the Republican front-runner. The next Republican primary will take place in South Carolina and could result in another campaign victory for Trump.
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