USA (Washington Insider Magazine)—Supporters of Donald Trump have been circulating AI-generated images depicting black voters as supporters of the former president. These deep fakes, uncovered by a BBC Panorama investigation, are part of a growing trend of AI-driven disinformation ahead of the 2024 US presidential election.
While Trump has actively courted black voters, key to Joe Biden’s 2020 victory, there is no direct evidence linking the fake images to Trump’s official campaign.
AI Deep Fakes Push Misleading Narratives
One AI image created by Mark Kaye, a conservative radio host, showed Trump with black women at a party. Though it appears real at first glance, closer inspection reveals classic AI errors, like unnatural lighting and missing fingers. The image was shared on Facebook, where Kaye has over one million followers.
“I’m a storyteller, not a photojournalist,” Kaye told the BBC. He claimed it wasn’t his responsibility if people were influenced by the image, which some commenters appeared to believe was authentic.
Another viral image depicted Trump posing with black voters on a porch. Originally posted by a satirical account, it gained widespread attention after being reshared with a false caption.
Disinformation Tactics Resurface
Cliff Albright, co-founder of Black Voters Matter, noted these images fit a broader conservative strategy to attract black voters, especially young black men.
“There’s a resurgence of disinformation targeting black communities,” Albright said from Atlanta, Georgia, a key swing state. A recent poll shows 71% of black voters in six swing states favor Biden in 2024—a decline from 92% nationally in 2020.
Trump’s political action committee, MAGA Inc., is also launching targeted ad campaigns in battleground states like Georgia, Michigan, and Pennsylvania to sway black voters.
AI in the Age of Elections
Unlike foreign disinformation campaigns in 2016, these AI images appear to originate from US-based creators. Experts warn this development poses a new challenge.
Ben Nimmo, a former Meta executive, expressed concerns about AI’s potential to inflame tensions. “As fake automated accounts are identified, operations increasingly try to co-opt real people to spread their content,” he said.
Social media platforms like Meta and X (formerly Twitter) have introduced measures to tackle AI-generated content. However, experts fear that influencers with large audiences could become “unwitting vectors” for foreign or domestic disinformation.
Growing Risks for 2024
As AI tools become more accessible, they provide new opportunities for partisans and provocateurs. The 2024 election cycle could see an unprecedented escalation of tensions fueled by manipulated content.
Voters like Douglas, a taxi driver in Atlanta, highlight the challenge. Initially fooled by one AI image, he remarked, “It’s so easy to fool people on social media.”
With AI-driven tactics evolving, the fight against disinformation will play a critical role in maintaining trust in the electoral process.
