“AI Deepfakes Face Off: Nancy Mace on the Hot Seat for Congressional Hearing

Nancy Mace, the Republican congresswoman for South Carolina’s first district, recently previewed a House hearing scheduled to take place on Wednesday about the implications of artificial intelligence (AI) and “deepfakes” on consumer privacy and national security. The hearing was titled “Protecting American Citizens from Deepfakes: How AI is Transforming Disinformation” and featured testimony from academics, social media companies, and cybersecurity experts. In a statement released prior to the hearing, Mace noted the rapid rate at which AI and deepfakes are being developed, noting that the technology could be used to spread disinformation. “This technology could have the potential to undermine trust in political institutions and public figures, or even be used to spread disinformation more quickly and accurately than ever before,” Mace said. The congresswoman went on to highlight the importance of discussing federal regulations surrounding AI and deepfakes. “The hearing is an important first step in examining the legal, technological, and public policy implications of AI-assisted deepfakes,” she said. Mace concluded her statement by noting that the hearing will also explore how the technology could be used to protect citizens’ privacy and mitigate the risks of disinformation. The hearing featured numerous witnesses providing testimony on the implications of AI and deepfakes, including two whistleblowers from the technology sector: Sarah Edwards of Post Media and Robert Latiff of CyberResolution. The hearing was largely focused on finding ways to ensure that AI and deepfakes don’t obfuscate the truth or lead to distortion and disruption of public discourse. Congresswoman Mace’s efforts to hold this hearing and Marie Hicks’ (A research professor at the Dublin City University) accompanying legislation that favors greater regulation of AI and deepfakes signals an effort to decrease the impact of digital disinformation on vulnerable groups of people. Such a hearing is especially relevant to this era of increasing automation and digital public discourse. The implications of AI and deepfakes are complex and will likely require the collaboration of lawmakers, technology companies, and the public.