Pop megastar Taylor Swift endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for President immediately following last night’s Presidential Debate on ABC, citing Donald Trump using AI-generated images to falsely claim that Swift had endorsed the former President.
Swift, no stranger to being victimized by generative artificial intelligence technology, including explicit deepfakes and AI-fueled online scams, was clearly riled by Donald Trump posting AI-generated images of “Swifties for Trump” on Truth Social last month.
“Recently I was made aware that AI of ‘me’ falsely endorsing Donald Trump’s presidential run was posted to his site,” Swift wrote in her Instagram post endorsing Harris.
“It really conjured up my fears around AI, and the dangers of spreading misinformation. It brought me to the conclusion that I need to be very transparent about my actual plans for this election as a voter. The simplest way to combat misinformation is with the truth,” Swift continued. “I will be casting my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 Presidential Election.”
Swift adds that all eligible American voters should do their research, register to vote, and make their choice.
Trump responded, saying on the FOX News show Fox & Friends that Swift may “pay a price” for her endorsement in “the marketplace.”
Swift’s worries about AI echo the sentiments of many Americans, as concerns over artificial intelligence technology continue to increase.
So far, the two Presidential candidates have employed drastically different approaches toward generative AI, with Trump routinely using it to create content to share on social media, including images that make him more appealing to potential voters and many that attack Harris using misleading photo-realistic images.
Vice President Harris, on the other hand, announced the AI Safety Institute last year, arguing that the federal government must evaluate and mitigate the dangers of artificial intelligence and take action to ensure that it is clear when content is human-created or AI-generated.
Some critics, including Trump himself, have claimed that Harris has used AI-generated images to inflate rally crowds, although these allegations have been proven false.
“President Biden and I believe that all leaders, from government, civil society, and the private sector have a moral, ethical, and societal duty to make sure AI is adopted and advanced in a way that protects the public from potential harm and ensures that everyone is able to enjoy its benefits,” Harris said last fall.
Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos.