Harris and Trump Offer Divergent Views on AI in Contentious Debate!

In their first and perhaps only debate of the 2024 election season, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump took center stage to discuss critical topics such as China’s advancements in technology, the future of semiconductor production, and domestic innovation.

However, the most revealing moments of the debate occurred not during their confrontation but in the aftermath, where their divergent approaches to artificial intelligence (AI) became a focal point of public discussion.

With this news going online, this is what people worldwide have been saying!

Why wasn’t Kamala fact checked at all? Bias much?

— Spinny wheels (@censoredtrue) September 15, 2024

Trump’s approach to AI was quickly evident. During the debate, he claimed that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were “eating the dogs – the people that came in, they’re eating the cats.”

ABC’s moderators swiftly debunked this inflammatory statement, citing information from Springfield’s animal control commissioner.

The commissioner confirmed there had been no reports of such incidents. Despite this, the damage had been done: the false statement had already sparked tensions, and immigrants in Springfield began facing threats and violence because of the misinformation.

Well we saw Kamala lie constantly and never get fact checked. That debate was so rigged. She was being like an actress that has studied a script. Even her expressions were so rehearsed

— Craig (@Craig202120) September 15, 2024

With no real images to support his claim, Trump and his supporters turned to AI-generated content to continue their narrative. Even before the debate began, Donald Trump Jr. already used AI-generated images to stoke emotions on social media.

One such image featured his father riding a giant cat and holding a gun, with the caption, “Save our pets!!!” Later, Trump Jr. shared another image showing cats and a goose or duck watching the debate on TV, accompanied by the message, “They know who they’re rooting for tonight.”

The AI-generated images quickly spread across social media, marked by the unmistakable synthetic quality from tools like Elon Musk’s AI image generator, Grok.

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Unlike more regulated AI platforms such as OpenAI’s Dall-E or Midjourney, Grok offers fewer restrictions on manipulating public figures’ images, allowing users to create strikingly artificial content with minimal oversight.

Two days after the debate, Trump doubled down on using AI-generated content.

He posted a series of AI-crafted images on his social media platforms, including an image of himself on a plane surrounded by cats and geese, a cat holding a sign that read “Kamala hates me,” and a picture of him addressing a crowd at a “Cats for Trump” rally.

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These images, designed to be humorous and provocative, quickly gained traction, especially on Facebook, where AI-generated visuals have a dedicated audience among older demographics.

The House Judiciary Committee, composed of Republican members, joined in, tweeting an image of Trump cuddling animals in a pond under a red, white, and blue flag, pleading to “Save them!”

Elon Musk, the billionaire CEO of X (formerly Twitter), also played a role in amplifying these images by tweeting them with his signature crying-laughing emoji, reinforcing his support for Trump’s campaign.

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In stark contrast, the Democratic response avoided any engagement with AI-generated imagery.

Kamala Harris did not respond directly to the wave of AI content. Instead, the most prominent reaction came from Taylor Swift, a cultural icon with a massive following.

Swift took to Instagram to endorse Harris and sharply criticized the AI-generated images falsely depicting her support for Trump.

Her statement resonated widely, especially given her past experiences as a target of sexualized deepfakes that have reached millions.

The misuse of her image prompted a broader conversation about the ethical implications of AI in politics and the need for legislation to protect individuals’ likenesses from being exploited by digital technologies.

It was later revealed that the images originated from a small Texas-based foundation known for supporting right-wing social media influencers.

Meanwhile, Harris’s campaign maintained a careful distance from AI-generated content, opting instead to share genuine photographs that emphasized her roots and family history.

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Her team posted childhood photos of Harris visiting her grandparents in India, a move that underscored a preference for authenticity and realness over digitally manipulated visuals.

Harris’s decision to avoid AI-generated content is part of a broader approach to technology and public image.

Despite her strong connections to Silicon Valley from her time as a senator and California’s attorney general, Harris has deliberately cultivated a low-tech persona.

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She is often seen using wired Apple headphones, which she considers safer than Bluetooth technology, viewed as a security risk.

This cautious approach contrasts sharply with Trump’s use of an Android device, which cybersecurity experts have flagged as highly vulnerable to hacking.

Harris’s campaign, while utilizing platforms like TikTok to engage younger voters, has remained committed to more traditional methods of communication, presenting an image of caution, authenticity, and a preference for directness over digital manipulation.

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Throughout her vice presidency, Harris chose not to focus on showcasing her personal side, a strategy that has continued into her current campaign.

By steering clear of AI-generated content and aligning herself with public figures like Taylor Swift, Harris emphasizes a return to realness and transparency.

This strategy is a direct counterpoint to Trump’s embrace of AI to engage his base and create provocative content that captures attention on social media.

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The contrasting use of AI in this debate speaks to deeper philosophical divides between the two candidates and their parties.

Trump’s embrace of AI-generated content suggests a comfort with new technologies and an understanding of their potential to captivate audiences, even when factual accuracy is questioned.

On the other hand, Harris’s avoidance of AI underscores a commitment to authenticity and a cautious approach to technology, reflecting concerns about misinformation and the erosion of public trust in political discourse.

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This debate over AI usage has broader implications for how technology is integrated into political campaigns, the balance between innovation and ethics, and the ongoing struggle to maintain transparency and truthfulness in an era increasingly dominated by digital manipulation.

As the 2024 election season unfolds, the choices made by Harris and Trump in their approaches to AI will likely continue to spark discussions about the role of technology in shaping public opinion and political engagement.

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