Reprinted with the permission of the author, Christine Florez, Board of Directors, LWV Albany County

Will Artificial Intelligence Impact Democracy & Its Institutions?

The short answer is it remains to be seen; however, since there are enough people and organizations asking questions about potential impacts, the subject invites our attention to learn, monitor, and, possibly, advocate.

LWV US, and some of our members, along with other organizations, have been discussing technology and how it accelerates the spread of mistrust or disrupts the election process; the rise of AI just adds more urgency to this discussion. In fact, LWV US addressed comments to the Federal Election Commission in October 2023, asking that the law against “Fraudulent Misrepresentation” be applied to deceptive AI campaign advertising.

I am starting this blog for LWVAC members and friends to provide brief synopses of reports and news articles related to AI, especially highlighting webinars for members' continuing education. It is not meant to be exhaustive; consider it a jumping point for discussion and thought.

LWV's Democracy Truth Project will be a guide, with reference to LWV's messages on election security and reliability. The goal is to provide information about tools and best practices to combat the potential harms to our democracy and its institutions as well as how to embrace AI. Not all of it is a threat.

What is AI? A brief description from the American Bar Association, "Artificial Intelligence refers to the capability of a machine or computer program to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence. Such tasks include problem-solving, learning, understanding natural language, recognizing patterns, and decision making based on data."

AI will likely usher in many benefits, but as with eras in history that led to large-scale societal impacts, there is a need to monitor and calibrate. We can look at the technology boom and the growth of the Internet. We can set our sights further back to the Industrial Revolution. There are examples in the Bronze Age, in cataclysmic wars, or in great social migrations. These historical references highlight the need for resiliency and preparation to ride these waves of change. Being unprepared means playing catch up which can squander valuable intellectual and societal capital - a distraction as decisions are made about what is important, who is important, and what resources are available - and can reduce solutions to a zero sum game. It isn’t a leap to imagine decisions with results, unintentional or not, that are mind-numbingly cruel as ethics, morality, or people are sacrificed for haste and to fend off failure.

The most pressing concern about AI is it being used to spread misinformation/disinformation or to
create Deep Fakes which mimic people or events. Disinformation is nothing new but what have we
learned to address it and does AI create unique challenges?

A great example, and how ubiquity is taken as verification, is highlighted by the very quote that is often cited about how lies overtake truth - "a lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes.” Mark Twain never said that! But how often have you seen it on the Internet or heard it said with attribution to him?

It was Jonathan Swift who summed up the reality of truth and falsehoods. He noted that by the time we recognize a falsehood, it is already too late. "Falsehood flies, and the Truth comes limping after it; so that when Men come to be undeceiv’d, it is too late; the Jest is over, and the Tale has had its Effect." And then PT Barnum enters the room with his concise, if cynical, recognition of the mindset of those who seek their own advantage, "There’s a sucker born every minute." I cite Barnum because we must acknowledge that profit is driving many AI investments. Money is no stranger to LWV as we consider transparency about money in politics a priority.

With this in mind, I am sharing a Webinar from the Brennan Center for Justice, and a report from the Brookings Institution that lay out concerns about the future of AI and its impact on democracy. You will find links to articles providing background on Artificial Intelligence as well as recent news, for reference, about an European Union agreement to regulate AI.

If you have news, studies, or other information to share, feel free to contact me at lwvac@lwvalbany.org.

In League,

Christine Florez
Board of Directors, LWV Albany County
Chair, Fundraising and Development Committee

• Gian Volpicelli, “EU countries strike deal on landmark AI rulebook,” Politico, February 2, 2024,

• Heather Frase, Mia Hoffmann, Edgardo Cortés, and Lawrence Norden, “Safeguards for Using Artificial Intelligence in Election Administration; Adequate transparency and oversight can ensure AI tools in election offices are helpful and not harmful.,” Brennan Center, December 12, 2023,

• The Brennan Center and Georgetown University’s Center for Security and Emerging Technologies, "How Will AI Affect the 2024 Election?,"streamed on YouTube, November 28, 2023

• Norm Eisen, Nicol Turner Lee, Colby Galliher, and Jonathan Katz, "AI can strengthen U.S. democracy—and weaken it," Brookings Institution, November 21, 2023,

• Jeffrey M. Allen & Ashley Hallene, "AI Column: A Primer on Artificial Intelligence," American Bar
  Association, January 31, 2024

• Charlotte Hu, "A simple guide to the expansive world of artificial intelligence
  AI is everywhere, but it can be hard to define.," Popular Science, Feb 5, 2023

Note: This is the first in a series of articles for LWVAC members and friends on how technology might accelerate the spread of mistrust or disrupt the election process by LWVAC board member Christine Florez, including brief synopses of reports and news addressing A.I.