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AIQuiet 13d · day 20

Atlantic Investigation: AI Chatbots Misdirect Donors and Spread Fake Midterm Messaging

Will Oremus reports that AI search answers sent would-be donors to the wrong Senate candidate and relayed messaging seeded by a network of fake news sites.

newest coverage 13d agosummary written 17d ago40 pieces1.5k likes & upvotes27 comments BlueskyMastodonHacker NewsNewswiresGoogle NewsYouTubeReddit

Part of a larger narrative

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12 stories · since Oct 14 · newest 4d ago — A sharp reversal in investor enthusiasm for AI semiconductor companies is triggering a cascade of postponed offerings, executive warnings about speculative…

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What to know

  • An Atlantic investigation found AI search answers misdirected would-be donors to a Senate candidate named Talarico toward a different senator.
  • A network of fake news websites seeded political messaging about state and local candidates that AI chatbots then surfaced as fact.
  • Surveys cited by Phys.org indicate roughly one in five voters have already asked AI chatbots about elections and politics ahead of the midterms.
  • Governments worldwide are moving to shape what AI chatbots can say about political topics, according to the same reporting.

“Chatbots are adding a new layer of chaos ahead of the midterms.”

The Atlantic, Publication standfirst · The Atlantic ↗ · Oct 21

Will Oremus Atlantic technology reporterTalarico Senate candidate

Atlantic Investigation: AI Chatbots Misdirect Donors and Spread Fake Midterm Messaging
bsky.app

How it unfolded 3 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlesposts

Peak 10 pieces in 5h at Oct 22, 6 AM; 40 pieces over 20 days (25 articles · 1 video · 14 posts) Oct 19, 8 AM — 1 piece · 1 post — Bluesky 1Oct 19, 1 PM — quietOct 19, 6 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Oct 19, 11 PM — quietOct 20, 4 AM — 1 piece · 1 post — Hacker News 1Oct 20, 9 AM — quietOct 20, 2 PM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Oct 20, 7 PM — quietOct 21, 12 AM — quietOct 21, 5 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Oct 21, 10 AM — quietOct 21, 3 PM — quietOct 21, 8 PM — quietOct 22, 1 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Oct 22, 6 AM — 10 pieces · 5 articles · 5 posts — Mastodon 4, Newswires 4, Bluesky 1, +1 moreOct 22, 11 AM — 5 pieces · 3 articles · 2 posts — Newswires 3, Bluesky 1, Mastodon 1Oct 22, 4 PM — quietOct 22, 9 PM — quietOct 23, 2 AM — quietOct 23, 7 AM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Oct 23, 12 PM — quietOct 23, 5 PM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Oct 23, 10 PM — 5 pieces · 5 articles — Newswires 5Oct 24, 3 AM — 2 pieces · 2 articles — Google News 2Oct 24, 8 AM — 2 pieces · 1 article · 1 video — YouTube 1, Google News 1Oct 24, 1 PM — quietOct 24, 6 PM — quietOct 24, 11 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Oct 25, 4 AM — 3 pieces · 3 articles — Google News 3Oct 25, 9 AM — quietOct 25, 2 PM — quietOct 25, 7 PM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Oct 26, 12 AM — quietOct 26, 5 AM — 3 pieces · 1 article · 2 posts — Newswires 1, Bluesky 1, Reddit 1Oct 26, 10 AM — quietOct 26, 3 PM — quietOct 26, 8 PM — quietOct 27, 1 AM — quietOct 27, 6 AM — quietOct 27, 11 AM — quietOct 27, 4 PM — quietOct 27, 9 PM — quietOct 28, 2 AM — quietOct 28, 7 AM — quietOct 28, 12 PM — quietOct 28, 5 PM — quietOct 28, 10 PM — quietOct 29, 3 AM — quietOct 29, 8 AM — quietOct 29, 1 PM — quietOct 29, 6 PM — quietOct 29, 11 PM — quietOct 30, 4 AM — quietOct 30, 9 AM — quietOct 30, 2 PM — quietOct 30, 7 PM — quietOct 31, 12 AM — quietOct 31, 5 AM — quietOct 31, 10 AM — quietOct 31, 3 PM — quietOct 31, 8 PM — quietNov 1, 1 AM — quietNov 1, 5 AM — quietNov 1, 10 AM — quietNov 1, 3 PM — quietNov 1, 8 PM — quietNov 2, 1 AM — quietNov 2, 6 AM — quietNov 2, 11 AM — quietNov 2, 4 PM — quietNov 2, 9 PM — quietNov 3, 2 AM — quietNov 3, 7 AM — quietNov 3, 12 PM — quietNov 3, 5 PM — quietNov 3, 10 PM — quietNov 4, 3 AM — quietNov 4, 8 AM — quietNov 4, 1 PM — quietNov 4, 6 PM — quietNov 4, 11 PM — quietNov 5, 4 AM — quietNov 5, 9 AM — quietNov 5, 2 PM — quietNov 5, 7 PM — quietNov 6, 12 AM — quietNov 6, 5 AM — quietNov 6, 10 AM — quietNov 6, 3 PM — quietNov 6, 8 PM — quietYesterday, 1 AM — quietYesterday, 6 AM — quietYesterday, 11 AM — quietYesterday, 4 PM — quietYesterday, 9 PM — quietToday, 2 AM — quietToday, 7 AM — quiet 123
Oct 21Oct 23Oct 25Oct 27Oct 29Oct 31Nov 2Nov 4now · 11:26 AM ET
  1. 3

    Atlantic exposes AI chatbots misdirecting midterm donations

    Will Oremus's Atlantic investigation found that voters who searched how to donate to candidate Talarico were given AI answers directing them to donate to a different senator instead, and documented a network of fake news websites whose messaging about state and local candidates was picked up and relayed by AI chatbots.

    “Voters who Googled how to donate to Talarico got an AI answer that led them to give to a different senator.”
    — Will Oremus
    1. 1 outlet How California candidates are talking about AI

      first by Punchbowl News, 14d ago

    • willoremus.com

      Voters who Googled how to donate to Talarico got an AI answer that led them to give to a different senator. A network of fake news websites seeded messaging about state & local candidates that AI answers picked up on. My story on how the AI midterms are going:

      willoremus.comBluesky17d ago1.4k▲view on Bluesky ↗
    1 more of the top 2 · 3 posts in this stretch
    • brennancenter.org

      After re-testing, we found that major AI companies still struggle to prevent their models from creating fake election images, with some inconsistently applying crucial safeguards like watermarks. Our study's key findings covered in @nytimes.com today:

      brennancenter.orgBluesky17d ago52▲view on Bluesky ↗
    all of them →
  2. 1 day quiet
  3. 2

    Survey finds one in five voters asking AI about elections

    Phys.org reports that governments worldwide are shaping what AI chatbots can say about politics, citing a survey that found about one in five voters have asked chatbots about elections and politics ahead of the U.S. midterms.

    1. 3 outlets A.I. and Its Dangers Are Embedded In the Midterm Elections

      first by NYT Tech, 17d ago · also NYT, Boston Globe

      2 more headlines
    2. 1 outlet How governments worldwide are shaping what AI can say about politics

      first by Phys.org, 18d ago

  4. 1

    NPR airs segment on using AI chatbots to decide a midterm vote

    A radio segment discussed how voters could use AI chatbots to help inform their choices ahead of the midterms, prompting listener commentary online.

    “Was listening to @npr.org, just heard a story about how to utilize AI chatbots to help you decide your vote in the upcoming midterms…”
    — littlebadwolfzx.bsky.social

    • Was listening to @npr.org, just heard a story about how to utilize AI chatbots to help you decide your vote in the upcoming midterms…

      littlebadwolfzx.bsky.socialBluesky20d ago1▲view on Bluesky ↗
    1 more of the top 2 · 2 posts in this stretch

    • https://www. europesays.com/unitedstates/52 466/ AI becomes key issue in U.S. midterm elections, from data centers to jobs # DemocraticParty # KamalaHarris # LeadingTheFuture # PoliticalInvestigations # TheVerge # TomorrowTogether

      UnitedStates@pubeurope.comMastodon19d agoview on Mastodon ↗
    all of them →

Also covered reported alongside — the timeline has no entry for these yet

  1. 3 outlets US political candidates tailor messages for AI models used by voters

    first by TradingView, 14d ago · also Channel News Asia, Reuters

    1 more headline
  2. 2 outlets Political ads made with AI break into the midterms campaign

    first by El Pais English, 15d ago · also BBC

    2 more headlines
  3. 2 outlets AI ad blitz distorts US midterms

    first by Yahoo, 14d ago · also Bangkok Post

    1 more headline

and 4 smaller pieces

What people are saying 0 voices from 0 sites · best of 5 · verbatim