July 29th 2024.
Elon Musk, the tech guru and owner of X, recently caused controversy after retweeting an AI-generated version of Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign ad. The altered video featured footage from a real campaign ad, but with a fake voiceover that sounded just like the vice president. This has sparked concerns about the role of artificial intelligence in politics.
The video was originally posted by a YouTube account called "Mr Reagan" and labeled as a parody. However, experts in AI-generated media confirmed that much of the video was created using AI technology. Hany Farid, a digital forensics expert at the University of California, Berkeley, commented on the video's powerful use of generative AI and deepfakes.
While some have criticized the video for its deceptive nature, others have pointed out the lack of federal legislation and regulation in this area, leaving the responsibility with states and social media platforms. California governor Gavin Newsom expressed his disapproval of the fake ad and announced plans to sign a bill to make this type of manipulation illegal.
Elon Musk responded to the criticism, highlighting that parody is legal in America. He even jokingly consulted a "renowned world authority" on the matter, Professor Suggon Deeznutz, who confirmed the legality of parody in the US. However, Minnesota Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar pointed out that Musk's post may be in violation of X's own policy, which prohibits the sharing of synthetic, manipulated, or misleading media.
This controversy shines a light on the use of AI-generated media in politics, particularly during election season. It has been used in other countries, and experts predict that we may see more of it in the US leading up to the November election.
In a separate story, Chipotle's CEO Brian Niccol addressed the ongoing complaints about the restaurant chain's portion sizes. He acknowledged that there have been inconsistencies and even defended the restaurant's portion sizes as a core brand equity. However, he also announced plans to retrain and coach employees in order to ensure more consistency across all locations.
Niccol's comments come after a viral TikTok video in which a customer joked about the lack of chicken in their quesadilla. This sparked a trend of customers sharing similar experiences on social media. While the company has faced criticism for raising prices in recent years, they have seen an 11% increase in sales due to faster and more efficient service and a limited-time promotion. Investors have indicated that there are no plans to raise prices further at this time.
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