The destabilizing force of AI deepfakes in politics
Post Reports
The Washington Post
4.4 • 5.1K Ratings
🗓️ 15 February 2024
⏱️ 23 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
AI-generated content seems to be getting more realistic every day. Today on “Post Reports,” we talk about how it’s already been a factor in the 2024 presidential campaign, and in elections around the world.
Read more:
On Tuesday, London Mayor Sadiq Khan said that fake audio of him making inflammatory comments before last year’s Armistice Day almost caused “serious disorder.”
Today on Post Reports, tech reporter Pranshu Verma breaks down how AI-generated content has been influencing the 2024 presidential election and elections around the world. In addition to the threat of deepfakes, politicians have also been blaming AI for real gaffes caught on video or audio.
Can you tell which of these break-up texts are AI-generated? Take our quiz and find out.
Today’s show was produced by Bishop Sand and mixed by Sean Carter. It was edited by Maggie Penman.
Subscribe to The Washington Post here.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Okay, so Prantru, my understanding is that before we start this interview, that you have something that you want to play for me. |
| 0:10.0 | Yeah, so I want you to imagine that it's late January and you're in New Hampshire and there's a political primary about to happen, literally days away, and you're a voter. This is my colleague |
| 0:25.4 | Pranchu Verma. He covers technology for the post. You know you have no idea who you're |
| 0:30.6 | going to vote for or whether you're going to go vote, but you kind of think that maybe you should and then you get this call on your cell phone. |
| 0:39.3 | We know the value of voting Democratic when our votes count. |
| 0:45.0 | It's important that you save your vote for the November election. |
| 0:48.0 | We'll need your help in electing Democrats up and down the ticket. |
| 0:52.0 | Voting this Tuesday only enables the Republicans in their |
| 0:55.6 | quest to elect Donald Trump again. Your vote makes a difference in November, not this |
| 1:01.8 | Tuesday. |
| 1:02.8 | If you would like to be removed from future calls, |
| 1:05.5 | please press two now. |
| 1:07.5 | Wait, so this is a message that was left |
| 1:10.3 | for voters in New Hampshire, and that's Biden talking saying to not vote in the primary? |
| 1:17.0 | Yeah. |
| 1:18.0 | Is what? That doesn't make sense? |
| 1:21.0 | Yeah, because it's not real. |
| 1:24.0 | It's actually an AI deep fake of Biden's voice and it was sent out to about somewhere between 5,000 |
| 1:38.0 | voters. Really? And it was intended to mislead people. |
| 1:44.0 | Wait, but it sounds so real. |
| 1:50.0 | I mean that sounds like Biden. |
| 1:52.0 | It does and you notice, you know, he starts the call saying Malarki, right, a catchphrase of his. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from The Washington Post, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of The Washington Post and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.