A recent study conducted among over 8,000 adult consumers in the UK, US, Singapore, and Mexico revealed that 72 percent of Americans are concerned about the potential influence of AI and deepfakes on upcoming elections. US consumers express a decrease in trust in politicians and media due to deepfakes, with 70 percent reporting increased skepticism in online content compared to the previous election. Globally, only 46 percent of consumers believe they can easily detect a deepfake of a political figure or celebrity. In the US, this percentage drops to 37, with varying confidence levels across different age groups and genders.

According to the study, there is a general lack of trust in political news encountered online, with only 43 percent of global consumers expressing faith in online political news, and a further decline in trust among Americans at 32 percent. Jumio CEO Robert Prigge emphasized the significant impact of generative AI and deepfakes on global elections, stressing the urgent need for transparent discourse and empowering citizens with the necessary tools to confront and report deepfakes. The study also found that globally, only 43 percent of consumers trust their government’s ability to regulate AI, with even lower confidence levels in the US at 31 percent and the UK at 26 percent. Given the potential impact of deepfakes on crucial elections, the CEO emphasized the responsibility of online platforms to implement advanced detection measures, such as multimodal, biometric-based verification systems, in order to strengthen defenses against deepfakes.

In conclusion, the study highlights the widespread concern over the influence of AI and deepfakes on elections, as well as the pressing need for enhanced regulation and detection measures to mitigate their impact.