POLL: Is NYC Mayor Eric Adams Taking Things Too Far with AI Robocalls?
New York City Mayor Eric Adams is causing a stir with his use of artificial intelligence (AI) to make robocalls in multiple languages he doesn’t actually speak. The mayor revealed that these calls, which promote city hiring events, have been made in languages such as Mandarin and Yiddish. However, there has been no disclosure that he only speaks English or that the calls were generated using AI. With concerns growing over the ethical implications of AI and deepfakes, this latest development has sparked controversy.
Regulators are grappling with how to tackle the ethical and legal challenges posed by AI, particularly when it comes to deepfake videos and audios. In this case, the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project has criticized the mayor’s use of AI-generated robocalls, calling it misleading and unethical. The use of deepfakes to make it seem like the mayor speaks languages he doesn’t is seen as an invasion of privacy and an outright Orwellian tactic.
The debate around AI use and deepfakes has led to calls for greater regulation from government bodies and major media companies. Google has taken a step in this direction by imposing new labels on deceptive AI-generated political ads. Facebook has policies restricting the use of manipulated audio and imagery for misinformation. There is also a bipartisan bill in the U.S. Senate that seeks to ban “materially deceptive” deepfakes related to federal candidates.
The rise of AI tools that can artificially dub a person’s speech in another language has further blurred the lines of authenticity. Streaming service Spotify introduced an AI feature to translate podcasts into multiple languages using the podcaster’s voice. Startup ElevenLabs recently developed a voice translation tool that preserves the original speaker’s voice while converting spoken content to another language.
Mayor Adams’s office stated that they used ElevenLabs’ tool for the robocalls, with native speakers listening to the recordings to ensure accurate translations. Calls have been made in Spanish, Yiddish, Mandarin, Cantonese, and Haitian Creole. The mayor defended his use of AI, emphasizing the need to communicate with New Yorkers in their own languages.
The question remains: is Mayor Adams taking things too far with his AI robocalls? Is it a valuable tool for inclusivity or an invasion of privacy? We want to hear your thoughts and opinions. Leave a comment and join the discussion!
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