Nearly 50% of voters said deepfakes had some influence on election decision: survey
In battleground states like Michigan nearly 71% of people have been exposed to political deepfakes
Political deepfakes are becoming increasingly prevalent as the presidential election approaches, and they are deceiving more people, experts warn.
According to a recent survey by cybersecurity company McAfee, 63% of people said they have seen a political deepfake in the last 60 days. Nearly half of them (48%), said the deepfake had some influence on who they’ll vote for in the upcoming election.
Deepfakes can be images, videos, or audio that is edited or generated using artificial intelligence tools. The issue is that GenAI tools have made it easier and faster to create realistic AI-generated content, according to McAfee's head of threat research Abhishek Karnik.
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These deepfakes have become such a common occurrence that more than a quarter of the survey respondents,27%, have seen at least five deepfakes within the past two months. About 13% have seen 10 or more deepfakes.
In such a polarized election cycle, disinformation can easily exploit existing biases and make their impact even more significant.
"This year, deepfakes are especially concerning, not only because they’re on the rise but also because people are increasingly unsure of what’s real and what’s fake online," Karnik told FOX Business.
This illustration image created on June 9, 2023, shows a person using a smartphone to record a voice message in Los Angeles. (CHRIS DELMAS/AFP via Getty Images) / Getty Images)
Karnik said more than 8 in 10 Americans encounter content monthly that they can’t immediately verify if it's real or AI-generated.
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He noted that this trend is pronounced in battleground states like Michigan, where nearly 71% of people have been exposed to political deepfakes, according to the data. In Pennsylvania, 61% of respondents reported encountering political deepfakes. Meanwhile, more than half of respondents reported encountering political deepfakes in Nevada, North Carolina and Wisconsin.
Voting signs are stocked and ready at the Reo Elections Office on October 3, 2024 in Lansing, Michigan. ( Bill Pugliano/Getty Images) / Getty Images)
In other battleground states, including Arizona and Georgia, nearly half of respondents reported encountering political deepfakes, according to the data.
"In such a polarized election cycle, disinformation can easily exploit existing biases and make their impact even more significant," Karnik said.
A person votes during early voting at a polling station in the first round of early voting at a polling place, October 21, 2024, in Daytona Beach, Florida. (MIGUEL J. RODRIGUEZ CARRILLO/AFP via Getty Images) / Getty Images)
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Karnik contended that when people begin to doubt the truth of what they are seeing and hearing, "a constant sense of uncertainty takes hold, which makes it easier for false narratives to shape opinions—especially when the content aligns with pre-existing beliefs."
McAfee launched a 2024 Election AI Toolkit to help voters learn the basics of how to spot a deepfake.