The Department of Justice (DOJ) refused to release an audio recording of President Biden’s interview with former special counsel Robert Hur in a court document Friday. PoliticoThe ministry expressed concern that the release of the audio file could lead to misleading AI deepfakes of the incumbent president.
“For example, a malicious actor could slow down the speed of the recording or insert words that President Biden did not say or delete words that he did say,” the department said. in the filing“This problem is exacerbated by the fact that there is now widely available technology that can create completely different audio ‘deepfakes’ based on one recording.”
More than 13 media organizations and several conservative groups have filed Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to release the audio recording, the DOJ filing said. A transcript of the interview, which relates to Hur’s investigation into Biden’s alleged unauthorized removal and retention of classified information, was already made public in March. However, Politico reports that those who want the audio recording would like to hear Biden’s tone and pauses, while some House Republicans speculate that the transcript may not quite match the audio recording.
The battle over the audio of the Biden-Hur interview has outlasted the investigation. Hurs 345-page report concluded in February that the president should not be charged but that Biden was a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.” Republicans may want to obtain this audio to reinforce that image of Biden, but some argued it could provide insight into their impeachment inquiry. Just days after the transcripts were released a month later, invoke executive privilege to deny House Republicans access to the audio, The Hill reported.
This appears to be the first time the United States has refused to release recordings of a sitting president, citing concerns about artificial intelligence. The problem is that there are already reams of footage and recordings of Biden’s speeches. In January, some malicious actors used AI to create robocalls that sounded like President BidenThese calls were directed at voters in New Hampshire and made it seem as if President Biden was telling them not to show up for the primary.
The Justice Department even noted that it would be possible to create deepfakes of Biden even without this interview recording. However, the department said releasing the audio recording would make it more difficult to stop disinformation.
“Sure, there is already other raw material for creating a deepfake of President Biden’s voice, but releasing the audio recording poses unique risks: If it were publicly known that the audio recording had been released, it would be easier for malicious actors to pass off an altered file as the real recording,” the filing said.
The Justice Department is essentially saying that it’s easier to stop AI-generated disinformation if we don’t release anything at all, which seems to set a dangerous precedent. While that argument is true to some extent, it reflects the sensitive nature of these interviews. President Biden speaks constantly, but these other recordings aren’t afforded the same level of security.