“These AI-enhanced videos could ensure that the public does not make decisions about the future of our democracy based on an inconveniently timed cough, stray stutter, or healthy but hobbled walk.”
The left-wing Huffington Post published an opinion piece on Wednesday recommending that President Joe Biden's re-elect campaign embrace AI to "smooth out" his gaffes to effectively disseminate his messaging to the American people so that the Democrats don't have to pick out a different candidate for the 2024 race.
Institute For Education Senior Advisor Kaivan Shroff wrote in the op-ed titled "It's Time for the Biden Campaign to Embrace AI" that "Joe Biden is old and has had a lifelong stutter. He acknowledged in a fiery rally following his debate performance: 'I might not walk as easily or talk as smoothly as I used to.'" Shroff later added, "These AI-enhanced videos could ensure that the public does not make decisions about the future of our democracy based on an inconveniently timed cough, stray stutter, or healthy but hobbled walk."
When deepfakes are used, those who construct the footage use portions of other real videos of a subject, such as Biden, in order to create a false recording. The videos of Biden in this case would eliminate his gaffes and stumbles in different instances.
https://twitter.com/MrAndyNgo/status/1808672378433528266?s=20
"This has impeded his ability to communicate with mass audiences with consistent success. AI augmentations and video renderings could serve to smooth out these bumps while allowing the Biden campaign to effectively disseminate true information about the state of our democracy and the Biden administration’s accomplishments," the opinion piece added.
During the debate last week, Biden appeared confused, senile, and was often incoherent in how he spoke about topics he was addressing. The incumbent president falsely claimed that the Border Patrol Union had endorsed him and brought up multiple hoaxes about Trump in the debate.
The HuffPo opinion piece from Schroff emphasized that "the stakes of the 2024 presidential election cannot be overstated" and argued that AI would assist Biden in defeating Trump. He further argued that "some may challenge the use of AI as dishonest and deceptive, but the current information ecosystem is arguably no better. It may even be worse." The piece then blamed videos of Biden that White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called "cheepfakes" for making Biden "appear confused or weak."
Schroff blamed CNN for "allow[ing] Trump to lie for the full 90-minute debate with zero fact-checking" when the same standard was afforded to Biden.
"We must ask the question, are augmented AI videos that present Biden in his best form ― while sharing honest and accurate information ― really more socially damaging than our information ecosystem’s current realities? I think not," the opinion piece added.
The author concluded his op-ed saying, "Instead of a new candidate, AI allows Democrats to address the main vulnerabilities of our current standard bearer while embracing an inevitability of modern politics." Some have called for Kamala Harris to be the Democratic nominee for the presidency, following Biden's debate performance. Harris would reportedly be the only one who can take over the $240 million the Biden campaign has in donations as her name and the president's are listed on the campaign finance forms.
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