Three technology trends shaping 2024’s elections

Three of the most important technology trends in the election space that you should stay on top of. 

• Generative AI: Perhaps unsurprisingly, generative AI takes the top spot on our list. Without a doubt, AI that generates text or images will turbocharge political misinformation. Generative AI won’t just spread disinformation in election campaigns; we might also see the tech used in unexpected ways, such as hyperrealistic robocall programs. Shamaine Daniels, a Democratic congressional candidate from Pennsylvania, announced that her campaign would use Ashley, an artificial-intelligence campaign volunteer, to reach more voters one on one. And a new super PAC launched Dean.Bot, an AI chat bot emulating Dean Phillips, a Democrat challenging Biden.
• Political micro-influencers: Micro-influencers—meaning people with large but not huge followings, who are likely influential at a local level—are an emerging feature of political campaigns. Researchers I’ve spoken with over the past few months say the 2024 US presidential election will be the first with widespread use of micro-influencers who don’t typically post about politics and have built small, specific, highly engaged audiences, often composed primarily of one particular demographic. In Wisconsin, for example, such a micro-influencer campaign may have contributed to record voter turnout for the state supreme court in 2023. 
• Digital censorship: Crackdowns on speech by political actors are of course not new, but this activity is on the rise. The latest internet freedom report from Freedom House showed that generative AI is now aiding censorship, and authoritarian governments are increasing their control of internet infrastructure.