CBS News
Senators push federal commission to help defend voters from artificial intelligence disinformation
A bipartisan Senate duo is pressing the U.S. Election Assistance Commission to help prepare state and local officials to ward off artificial intelligence-produced disinformation targeted at voters.
In a new letter exclusively obtained by CBS News, Democratic Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Maine GOP Sen. Susan Collins shared that they have “serious concerns” while urging for more steps to be taken to help officials around the country “combat these threats.”
Tuesday’s letter comes after an incident involving New Hampshire’s presidential primary.
Before the contest, a fake robocall impersonating President Joe Biden encouraged voters not to vote in the Feb. 23 primary and instead “save” their vote for the November general election.
“Voting this Tuesday only enables Republicans in their quest to elect Donald Trump again,” the recording obtained by CBS News said. “Your vote makes a difference this November, not this Tuesday.”
Biden easily won the state’s Democratic primary as a write-in candidate, but concerns about the robocall are apparent. Klobuchar and Collins cited the interference effort in their letter and added that “AI-generated deepfakes have also impacted multiple Republican presidential candidates by deceptively showing them saying things that they never said.”
Klobuchar, a leader on elections legislation in the Senate, introduced a bipartisan bill with Collins and several other senators last September aimed at banning “materially deceptive AI-generated audio or visual media” involving federal candidates. The bill, which has not passed the Senate, would apply to a fake robocall like the one in New Hampshire.
The two Senators are asking the commission to give election administrators around the United States “comprehensive guidance” on defending elections and voters from AI-tied disinformation.
“We have introduced bipartisan legislation to address the challenges that this kind of deceptive AI-generated content poses to our democracy,” Klobuchar and Collins said in their letter. “As this year’s primary elections are now underway, it is critical that those who administer our elections have the information necessary to address these emerging threats in a timely and effective way.”
The New Hampshire robocall was the latest major flashpoint in AI-generated images, video and audio propagated online by bad actors during the already contentious 2024 campaign cycle.
Last May, an AI-generated photo appearing to show an explosion near the Pentagon circulated on social media, setting the S&P 500 on a brief drop-off and causing panic in the D.C. region after multiple “verified” accounts on X, the site formerly known as Twitter, shared the image.
Numerous AI-generated videos and images of former President Donald Trump have circulated online as well, including fake images of Trump running from the police and crying in a courtroom.
Last year, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign released an ad featuring AI-generated images of Trump and Dr. Anthony Fauci embracing, despite that never happening. The presidential campaigns of former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and Miami Mayor Francis Suarez had also put forward generative AI bots to answer voter questions before they suspended their respective campaigns.
Watch CBS News
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.
CBS News
$100 million in federal funds released for North Carolina to rebuild roads, bridges damaged by Helene
Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Transportation released $100 million in emergency funds on Saturday for North Carolina to rebuild its roads and bridges damaged by Helene.
“We are providing this initial round of funding so there’s no delay getting roads repaired and reopened, and re-establishing critical routes,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in a statement. “The Biden-Harris administration will be with North Carolina every step of the way, and today’s emergency funding to help get transportation networks back up and running safely will be followed by additional federal resources.”
The storm caused rampant flooding that has devastated several towns and killed more than 225 people – with CBS News confirming at least 114 people killed in North Carolina. There was more than 8 inches of rain across the western North Carolina mountains, with some areas seeing more than a foot.
Hundreds of roads across Western North Carolina remain closed, leading to an increase in air traffic as teams scour the region for survivors by air. Air traffic over Western North Carolina has increased by 300% due to relief efforts since the storm cleared, the Federal Aviation Administration and the North Carolina Department of Transportation.
Mudslides blocked Interstate 40 and other highways in North Carolina and about 400 roads were closed due to damage from Helene. Interstate 40 was damaged at several locations, the Department of Transportation said.
President Biden visited the Carolinas on Wednesday, surveying the flood damage by air from Greenville, South Carolina, to Asheville, North Carolina. Mr. Biden announced the federal government would cover “100%” of all debris removal and emergency protective measure costs in North Carolina for six months.
The Department of Transportation said these relief funds will allow the North Carolina Department of Transportation to act more quickly to fund eligible repairs to their damaged facilities.
Li Cohen and
contributed to this report.
CBS News
Tropical Storm Milton forms in Gulf; forecast to strengthen into hurricane headed toward Florida
Tropical Storm Milton has formed in the Gulf of Mexico and is forecast to strengthen into a hurricane headed toward Florida with possible impacts to its western coast, the National Hurricane Center said on Saturday. Maximum sustained winds are expected to be at 40 mph with higher gusts and Milton is currently moving north-northeast, NHC said in an advisory.
Milton is forecast to undergo a period of rapid intensification before it makes landfall as a Category 2 hurricane across Florida’s west coast, CBS News Miami reported.
The forecast comes a little more than a week after Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida and across the Southeast, killing more than 200 people and causing immense destruction. President Biden on Thursday took an aerial tour of Florida’s Big Bend where Helene struck as a Category 4 storm. Hundreds of people are still missing and Mr. Biden said the work to rebuild will cost “billions of dollars” as communities suffer still without power, running water and passable roads.
NOAA
Milton is forecast to move across the southwestern Gulf of Mexico through Sunday night then across the south-central Gulf on Monday and Tuesday before reaching Florida’s west coast by the middle of the week, NHC said. Heavy rain is possible in the region starting Sunday into Monday, CBS Miami reported, and more rain and heavy winds will most likely arrive on Wednesday. Hurricane and storm surge watches will most likely be required for portions of Florida starting Sunday, the National Hurricane Center said.
Along with the heavy rainfall, the hurricane center said to expect risks of flooding.
Residents in the area should ensure they have a hurricane plan in place, the National Hurricane Center said, follow the advice of local officials and check back for forecast updates.
