New York Attorney General Letitia James is warning voters not to rely on realistic-looking AI images, audio or video — or answers from AI chatbots — for information about the Nov. 3 election. Her office says fabricated content has become harder to recognize, while chatbots can give incorrect poll locations, deadlines and voting requirements.
In an updated voter guide, the attorney general’s office urges New Yorkers to confirm voting instructions with the state or their county board of elections before acting on or sharing an unexpected message. The warning applies to information about eligibility and how, when and where to vote, regardless of whether it arrives by social media, phone, email, text or another channel.
Early voting is scheduled for Oct. 24 through Nov. 1, and Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, according to the guide. Voters can use the state Board of Elections’ county-board roster to find their local election office and its voter lookup tool to check a poll site, registration or ballot status.
Convincing fakes can misdirect voters
The attorney general’s office says AI can generate images, recordings and videos that appear to show real people making statements or taking actions that never happened. A forged message could also be made to look like an official government notice. Examples in the guide include false voting instructions, threats intended to keep people home and robocalls using a simulated voice.
James first released guidance on AI election misinformation in 2024. The earlier guide suggested looking for visual or audio clues such as odd movement, lighting or sound. Her office now says those clues may be absent from more sophisticated fakes, so a polished appearance is not evidence that a message is authentic. The office also cautions that tools advertised as AI detectors are not always accurate.
The office says AI chatbots present a separate risk because they can deliver an incorrect answer with confidence. It cited answers giving information for the wrong city or state, incorrect deadlines and false voting requirements. A voter who follows an unverified answer could go to the wrong poll site or miss a deadline.
Under New York law, political communications using seemingly realistic but AI-generated or otherwise deceptive images, video or audio must be labeled as manipulated, the attorney general’s office says. It warns that fake material circulating online may lack a label. The guide advises voters to be particularly skeptical of emotional, shocking or surprising election content and not to share it until they have checked it against an official source.
Where to check information or report a problem
For questions about registration, eligibility, voting hours or locations, the guide directs voters to the New York State Board of Elections or their local board. It recommends checking even when a claim comes from a phone call, postcard, lawn sign, email or text; not all misinformation is generated by AI.
People who encounter a suspected manipulated voting-related image, recording or video without the required disclosure can file a complaint with the attorney general’s office. For a complaint about election misinformation, the office says to select “Other” on its online form, enter “Election Misinformation” as the topic and include a copy of the content. Suspected fake social-media posts can also be reported to the platform.
The attorney general’s Election Protection Hotline, (866) 390-2992, and electionhotline.ag.ny.gov are scheduled to be available beginning Oct. 24 for questions and complaints during the voting period. Voters need not wait for a hotline response to verify a poll site or deadline with their county board of elections.
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