The author emphasizes the need for transparency in the use of AI in election administration, with voters being informed about when and where AI is being used. Extensive auditing by an independent third-party is also necessary. Election officials should be prepared to answer ethical questions about AI, particularly regarding potential biases and the "black box" nature of AI. The ultimate goal should be to protect the voter, ensuring accuracy, transparency, and addressing any ethical considerations.
Key takeaways:
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to enhance election administration by optimizing systems for efficiency and accuracy, assisting in voter database management, ballot design, and vote tabulation.
- However, AI is not infallible and can produce inaccurate or biased results if the data used to train it is flawed. This concern, termed as 'AI hallucination', needs to be addressed for AI to be effectively used in election administration.
- Transparency in the use of AI in election administration is crucial. Voters should be informed about how AI is being used in the process, and election officials should explain the data used to train AI and the steps taken to eliminate biases.
- Extensive auditing by an independent third party is necessary to ensure the accuracy, fairness, and security of AI-powered tools in election administration. Ethical concerns related to AI, such as potential bias and lack of transparency in its development and decision-making process, must be addressed to gain public trust.