Launch of the AI + Election Security Coalition
*Group announces nationwide effort to protect elections against AI-enabled threats and apply "AI for good"*
*WASHINGTON, DC / ACCESSWIRE / February 15, 2024 / *In an ambitious stride toward safeguarding democracy, The Future US, a policy studio based in Washington, D.C., announced the formation of the nationwide AI + Election Security Coalition. The Coalition represents an acceleration of efforts to secure the 2024 election against threats enabled by artificial intelligence (AI) - and to identify opportunities to leverage emerging AI technology to safeguard the democratic process.
As part of the announcement, The Future US teamed up with Issue One to release a statement of experts and organizations committed to confronting the challenge together, including technologists, business leaders, former officials, election security experts, and civil society organizations. The open letter can be found here.
The AI + Election Security Coalition will unite a diverse group of stakeholders from pro-democracy organizations, technology companies, civil society groups, think tanks, and research institutions to better coordinate their actions and to rapidly identify needed interventions. The Coalition has been operating informally since 2023 and will publicly expand its work to respond to the implications of AI technologies on the security and fairness of elections, with a special focus on the 2024 vote.
"AI technology will not only upend entire industries, it will significantly impact public discourse and democracy. We're not going to wait for that to happen. At The Future US, we're working to shape tomorrow in humanity's favor - today," said Miles Taylor, a Senior Fellow for the Future of Security and the former Chief of Staff of the Department of Homeland Security. "At the same time, we believe that a rushed and panicked response could further undermine public trust in the integrity of our elections, so we need to approach this issue thoughtfully and decisively."
"Election officials at all levels are deeply concerned about the threat that AI poses to our election infrastructure. We need to make sure groups aren't just coordinating but are taking action together in this space. That's why we are committed to partnering with The Future US and to bring The AI + Election Security Coalition into the broader work of election protection," said Nick Penniman, Founder and CEO of Issue One.
The AI + Election Security Coalition's day-to-day efforts will be overseen by two proven election, national security, and tech leaders.
"I've been on the frontlines of efforts to protect our democracy against malicious interference and to ensure free and fair elections. Election officials are working tirelessly to ensure the highest standards of election security amidst too-few resources. We need a whole-of-society approach to help them and voters prepare for these rapid tech developments," said Kathy Boockvar, Senior Advisor to The Future US and the former Secretary of State of Pennsylvania.
"Disinformation and deep fakes are being taken to a whole new level. We've got to be prepared for how that will affect democracy. And we also need to arm leaders at the federal, state, and local level with solutions to use ‘AI for good' to protect the vote and to give the public confidence in the security of U.S. elections," said Dan Prieto, Senior Advisor to The Future US and the former Director for Cybersecurity Policy at the National Security Council in the White House.
The mission of the AI + Election Security Coalition is to identify AI-related threats and opportunities to the security of U.S. elections. Specifically, the Coalition aims to harness the potential of AI to enhance electoral integrity while mitigating risks such as misinformation, cyber threats, and other vulnerabilities that could undermine public trust in electoral outcomes through the combined efforts of participating organizations - and a range of exciting new initiatives that will be announced in the coming months.
Organizations can reach out about joining the Coalition by emailing elections@thefuture.us.
*About The Future US*
The Future US is a crystal ball for Washington, D.C. -- a policy studio that forecasts the coming tech disruptions to future-proof America. We bring innovators together with policymakers so they can prepare for tomorrow, together. The nonpartisan nonprofit is based in the nation's capital and guided by 100+ technologists, CEOs, civil society experts, investors, former officials, best-selling authors, researchers, and newsmakers.
*About Issue One*
Issue One is the leading cross-partisan political reform group in Washington, D.C. We unite Republicans, Democrats, and independents in the movement to fix our broken political system and build a democracy that works for everyone. We educate the public and work to pass legislation on Capitol Hill to increase transparency, strengthen ethics and accountability, reduce the corrosive influence of big money in politics, and bolster U.S. elections.
*SOURCE: *Future US
View the original press release on accesswire.com