AI's Influence on Voters Grows as Election Approaches

Although many AI models were released in 2023, the 2024 election marked the first time that the American electorate was fully aware of AI's capabilities and presence. A Pew survey found that 8% of U.S. adults were using AI for election information, with 40% seeking suggestions on how to make voting choices. As the election approached, the use of AI for election answers increased, with 25% of adults using AI by the end of October. A Yale study revealed that 36% of participants asked an AI chatbot for help selecting a candidate. Cornell Tech research found that AI models, particularly ChatGPT, favored Democrats in 91% of races when web search was available, while Grok, developed by xAI and now owned by SpaceX, favored Republicans in 92% of races. Without web search, ChatGPT still favored Democrats in 71% of races, while Grok declined to make a choice in 34% of races. The Washington Post tested AI-generated voting guides and found that AI chatbots failed 48% of the time on congressional district information and provided incorrect information 22% of the time. AI services also raised concerns about using unreliable sources and the potential for misinformation. These findings have led to concerns about AI's influence on voter decisions and the need for more transparency and accuracy in AI-generated information.