The 2016 US presidential elections saw Russian interference through cyberattacks, raising concerns about the role of technology in future electoral cycles. With the advancement of chatbots, AI and its usage in many industries, politics could potentially be in danger. ChatGPT, a well-known hallucinating chatbot, is one that poses a great threat to both political campaigns and the public if used incorrectly. For example, the chatbot may produce biased results that are in favor of one particular political party or opinion.
In an interview with AIM, Sagar Bishnoi, political analyst at The Ideaz Factory said they’re using ChatGPT for writing political speeches, routine scheduling and marketing plans. It makes work easier and efficient. It is confirmed that the tool is already being used in the offices of politicians, political parties, MPs, CMs and think-tanks. Netri Foundation, a political incubator, is already utilizing the chatbot for social media content creation and research work.
But with applications like this, the trustworthines decreases. The chatbot has been known to generate false information and biased results. Moreover, various tests used on ChatGPT suggest that it is leaning to the left-libertarian. It can be used to smear campaigns or influence them in favor of a certain party.
A recent example of this is with Brian Wood, the Mayor of Hepburn Shire. ChatGPT falsely accused him of being involved in a foreign bribery scandal linked to the Reserve Bank of Australia, which Wood had actually revealed. Wood has now threatened to file a defamation suit against OpenAI if the incorrect claims are not rectified.
The Biden administration is looking to introduce checks for ChatGPT tools in the US to control their potentially harmful usage. OpenAI is prioritizing their dedication to AI safety, but has yet to address the issue of bias in the chatbot. It could be a recipe for disaster if political parties use biased chatbot-generated information in their manifestos or campaigns. To guard against fake news, an extensive vetting process should be conducted. ChatGPT, as well as other chatbots and hallucinating AI, have definite dangers that need to be addressed.
OpenAI is a research laboratory based in San Francisco, California and is dedicated to developing advanced AI research. Founded in 2015 by Sam Altman, OpenAI has become a major player in the field of Artificial Intelligence, with projects such as GPT-3 and ChatGPT falling under them. It was founded with the aim of ensuring that AI remains in the hands of the public and is used responsibly.
Pedro Domingos is a noted AI researcher and author. In a tweet, he stated that “The killer occupation for GPT-4 is politician, because the key qualification is to have no fear of lying (sic)”. He is of the opinion that GPT-4 can substitute politicians and has stated the same in many interviews and podcasts. David Rozado, a research scientist, reported that the Political Compass Test was used to investigate the political bias of ChatGPT, and the results averaged out to bias heavily towards a left-libertarian view.
AI and its use in politics will likely be a topic of discussion during the 2024 US Presidential Elections, with the possibility of further regulation and checks to combat any wrongful use of AI. With the increasing usage of chatbots, AI and other similar tools, it is necessary to ensure that these advances are used in an appropriate and ethical manner. Therefore, it is important to have stringent regulations to guard against any misuses and false information that may arise out of it.
