The Center for Civil Rights and Technology Applauds Klobuchar Efforts to Pass AI Democracy Bills

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mariah Wildgen, [email protected]

Sen. Klobuchar’s unanimous consent requests included her Protect Elections from Deceptive AI Act and AI Transparency in Elections Act of 2024

WASHINGTON — Koustubh “K.J.” Bagchi, vice president of the Center for Civil Rights and Technology, issued the following statement on efforts by Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D. Minn., to pass two critical artificial intelligence democracy bills — Protect Elections from Deceptive AI Act and AI Transparency in Elections Act of 2024:

“Everyone deserves to know that the information they receive about voting, candidates, and our elections is honest. While AI holds great promise to help organizers reach voters in ways they have never been able to before, it also poses a threat to turbocharge voting disinformation — a threat that’s already being realized. And let’s be clear: Disinformation is voter suppression in sheep’s clothing. The intent of the bad actors behind coordinated disinformation campaigns is to threaten and dissuade voters of color from casting their ballot. 

“The Protect Elections from Deceptive AI Act and the AI Transparency in Elections Act of 2024 are critical to protect our elections against this very threat. While we’re incredibly frustrated that this duo of essential election integrity bills didn’t pass on the Senate floor today, these bills are by no means dead. We’re grateful for champions like Sen. Amy Klobuchar for her leadership and tenacity in using every tool at her disposal to make sure voters are protected against misinformation. Her colleagues should follow suit.”

In September 2023, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and The Leadership Conference Education Fund launched the Center for Civil Rights and Technology to serve as a hub for advocacy, education, and research at the intersection of civil rights and technology policy. Our experts dive into the most pressing policy issues in three key areas: AI and privacy, voting and platform accountability, and broadband access. Earlier this year, the Center held a convening titled “Regulatory Code: AI, Civil Rights, and the Future of Democracy” and created an advisory council made up of civil society and academic leaders.

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 240 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.

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