Google Decrees Transparency: Mandatory AI Disclosures in Election Advertisements
In a move that cements Google's commitment (some would say obsession) to transparency and accuracy in the digital space (except when it comes to censorship), the company recently announced a critical policy change. All election advertisers who harness the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to generate content for their adverts must now provide clear and conspicuous disclosure on their ads starting mid-November.
The policy will extend across all forms of content: image, video, and audio. This decision comes in the wake of the burgeoning uses of generative AI, which have opened up opportunities to manipulate content ranging from movie scripts to advertising materials. These AI-enhanced "deepfakes" can easily confound voters' discernment of reality, a worrisome trend given the rise of manipulative information campaigns online as noted by Google-owned cybersecurity firm, Mandiant.
Under Google's new policy, any synthetic content that does not pertain directly to the claims made in the ad will be exempted from these disclosure stipulations.