Voters increasingly use AI for election info despite accuracy risks

Voters are turning to AI on politics. Is it up to the task?

Artificial intelligence is playing a growing role in how voters get information about politics and elections, raising fresh questions about how the technology could influence the way voters stay informed.

From chatbots to standard internet searches , voters this election cycle are interacting with AI-generated content, even when they may not realize it.

Recent research on voters’ use of AI is forcing campaigns to rethink their digital strategies and reminding election officials the importance of upkeep regarding information online.

“While people may have and should continue to have … a healthy dose of skepticism about some of the outputs, the reality is that [AI] outputs are going to be playing an increasing role,” Max Read, the director of civic innovation at the research organization Institute for Strategic Dialogue, told The Hill.

“Both as a primary information source and point of information gathering for voters, but also impacting the information environment in more subtle ways,” Read said.

A handful of researchers this year are exploring how often voters intentionally use AI to answer election-related questions or accidentally interact with AI-generated content on social media or search engines.

While some say it is likely too early to determine the extent of which AI is reshaping the information ecosystem, many researchers agree it is playing a larger role than in past elections.

Amid the billions of questions chatbots receive daily, a study commissioned by the left-leaning marketing firm Orchestra found about 650,000 of these prompts relate to politics.

Welcome to The Hill’s Technology newsletter , we’re Julia Shapero and Miranda Nazzaro — tracking the latest moves from Capitol Hill to Silicon Valley.

Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here.

How policy will be impacting the tech sector now and in the future:

Senators try to ‘get to the bottom of’ AI-powered surveillance networks amid Flock concerns

A Senate panel held the first Congressional hearing Wednesday on AI-powered surveillance cameras manufacturers, such as Flock Safety, in an attempt to “get to the bottom” of whether the technology infringes on the public’s privacy. The hearing — titled “Always Watching: Flock’s Nationwide AI Surveillance Network” — was spearheaded by Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo), the chair of Senate Judiciary …

US warns Australia’s social media reforms ‘facilitating censorship’

The U.S. on Tuesday warned that Australia’s social media algorithm reform proposals to notify users and provide content recommended via a default algorithm could be “facilitating censorship.” The U.S. Embassy in Canberra, Australia’s capital, stated in a formal submission that it had “serious concerns” about the Australian government’s goal with proposals “that dictate how platforms …

Zelensky says AI will soon ‘decide what happens on the battlefield’

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday warned that artificial intelligence (AI) could be used in war to “decide what happens on the battlefield.” “As early as next year, there is already a real possibility that AI –– not only people –– will begin to decide what happens on the battlefield,” Zelensky said in his address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York City. “And we …

Schumer, Senate Democrats push for stricter rules on AI chip sales ahead of Xi visit

Top Senate Democrats are pushing for Congress to pass a trio of bills cracking down on AI chip sales to China as President Trump prepares to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.) and Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) argued Wednesday that the U.S. should place stricter limits on the export of advanced chips and chipmaking equipment. …

News we’ve flagged from t he intersection of tech and other topics:

Anthropic leaders back startup developing system to detect biological threats ( The Wall Street Journal )

Paramount weighs tapping Musk for equity investment ( Semafor )

Branch out with other reads on The Hill:

President Trump’s decision to ban a trio of news outlets from the White House complex last week and revoke their hard press badges appeared to be on thin ice Wednesday after a key hearing where the sides presented their arguments.

Opinions related to tech submitted to The Hill: