Political consultant Steve Kramer, formerly associated with Democratic Rep. Dean Phillips’ presidential campaign, confessed on Sunday to orchestrating a robocall using an AI-generated voice of President Joe Biden, aimed at dissuading New Hampshire voters from participating in the state’s January 23 primary.
In his statement, Kramer revealed that he employed an AI tool named ElevenLabs to fabricate the call, which was distributed to over 20,000 individuals just days before the primary.
The revelation raised concerns about the misuse of AI in politics and prompted investigations by law enforcement agencies. ElevenLabs, the AI tool provider, refrained from commenting on the specific incident but emphasized its commitment to preventing the misuse of audio AI tools.
Kramer’s admission triggered responses from regulatory bodies and lawmakers. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) initiated efforts to outlaw AI-generated robocalls, while House Democrats proposed legislation to increase fines for such violations.
The New Hampshire attorney general launched a criminal investigation, connecting the incident to telecommunications companies in Texas.
Rep. Dean Phillips distanced himself from Kramer’s actions, stating that neither he nor his campaign were aware of Kramer’s involvement in the robocall scheme. Phillips expressed relief that Kramer had confessed to his role.
Kramer, who had previously worked on ballot access projects for Phillips’ campaign, admitted to utilizing the AI tool while assisting in efforts in New York and Pennsylvania. He emphasized recent efforts to regulate the use of AI in political communications.
The incident underscores the potential dangers of AI manipulation in electoral processes and the urgent need for stricter regulations to prevent its misuse. As investigations continue, the ramifications of this controversial use of technology in politics remain a topic of scrutiny and debate.
