AI ‘deepfakes’ a problem, lawmakers agree, but solution illusive

Legislation to ban false AI media to damage candidates stalls out

Photo by Igor Omilaev on Unsplash

PIERRE – For all the world, it sounded like Donald Trump was endorsing Sen. Liz Larson at the South Dakota Capitol Friday.

Which is odd, because Larson is a Democrat. Not only that, once he was done endorsing Larson, Trump urged his followers to vote Democratic.

Noem checks own boxes on who Trump's VP should be

The recording Larson played generated some chuckles in the House State Affairs Committee Friday morning. But there was a serious side: The Sioux Falls Democrat used the recording to illustrate the reality of audio, videos and photos generated by Artificial Intelligence. Those materials are rapidly being used to spread falsehoods in political campaigns.

Larson sponsored legislation to require that so-called “deepfakes” in South Dakota elections – AI generated media used to injure a candidate or campaign with lies — require disclosure that they were generated by AI and that their depictions were false. The requirement applied to media released within 90 days of an election.

S.D. success story: The making of a medical school, 50 years later

Legislature approves 'carveout' for Sioux Falls Delbridge Museum