New York Attorney General Letitia James has warned voters not to rely on AI chatbots for voting information, as these tools often give inaccurate answers.
The Attorney General's Office found that many chatbots provided wrong details about voting, like registration deadlines and polling places, which could mislead voters and prevent them from voting.
Voters are encouraged to get information from trusted sources like their local election board.
Questions about voting
There are lots of fake sites on the web that may mislead you or steal your identification. You can find reliable local information by finding a site with a name similar to anyplace.gov (the .gov is important!) and following the prompts there for your specific city or town. Or you can find your state and local election election offices here.
“All voters deserve accurate information about where, when, and how to vote,” James said. “My office’s testing of AI chatbots found many providing false or misleading information about voting, threatening New Yorkers’ ability to exercise their right to vote. With early voting underway and Election Day just around the corner, I urge voters to be cautious and seek reliable information about the election only from official sources.”
Similar warnings have been issued by AGs around the country.
In Illinois, Attorney General Kwame Raoul published a Voter Misinformation Guide that illustrates some of the techniques tricksters use to spread false information.
"Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology can create fake but realistic photos, videos and audio," Raoul said. "There are constructive uses for AI, but it is also a powerful tool for bad actors to create confusion and sew mistrust. In addition, scammers have long used campaign season as an opportunity to steal personal information and commit financial fraud."
In Colorado, Attorney General Phil Weiser alerted voters to the risks of AI-created "deepfakes"—realistic but fake images, videos, or audio designed to mislead. He highlighted a new state law requiring political campaigns to disclose when such AI-generated content is used, aiming to prevent voter deception.
These warnings underscore the growing concern among state officials about the potential impact of AI-driven disinformation on the electoral process. Voters are urged to verify information through official channels to ensure the integrity of their voting decisions.