Eric Schmidt, the former CEO of Google parent Alphabet, warned Monday that generative artificial intelligence will throw a wrench in upcoming elections, questioning social media companies’ ability to rein in false claims on the burgeoning technology amidst a tense political climate.
“The 2024 elections are going to be a mess because social media is not protecting us from false generative AI,” Schmidt said on CNBC’s Squawk Box, referencing AI’s ability to accelerate the spread of misinformation.
It’s a “big issue” that tech giants like Alphabet, Meta and Twitter slashed thousands of content moderation roles over the last year to cut costs, Schmidt added.
Responding to a question on a recent decision by Alphabet’s YouTube to stop removing videos which tout false claims of fraud in the 2020 presidential election, Schmidt said it’s important the platform at least designates what previously impermissible content was produced by AI, explaining he supports “free speech for humans, not computers.”
Schmidt, who hasn’t worked at Alphabet in an official capacity in three years, remains the company’s third-largest individual shareholder, trailing only cofounders Sergey Brin and Larry Page.. He led Alphabet as its CEO from 2001 to 2011, serving on the Silicon Valley giant’s board until 2019. Last month, Schmidt offered an even more dire warning about the worst case scenario for generative AI, cautioning “many, many, many, many people [could be] harmed...
The government is moving to reassure sugarcane farmers and counter misinformation, confirming that its financial support for the 2025 crop season remains intact and properly calculated. Minister f...