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Generative artificial intelligence (AI) programs can clone people’s faces and voices to make false messages and Secretary of State Michael Adams told the General Assembly’s Artificial Intelligence Task Force on Tuesday how this technology, also known as deep fakes, harms elections.

Adams shared a quote from a Foreign Affairs Magazine article co-authored by Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab that resonated with him: “Specifically, generative AI will amplify cybersecurity risks and make it easier, faster and cheaper to flood the country with fake content.”

Earlier this year in New Hampshire, Adams noted a political consultant used AI to generate a robocall impersonating the president’s voice. The call urged voters not to vote in the primary. Adams said this is one example of how generative AI is being used to undermine the electoral process.

“Should you take up AI legislation when you return in 2025, I would encourage you to consider prohibiting impersonation of election officials,” Adams said. “It is illegal to impersonate a peace officer and for good reason. It should be equally illegal to impersonate a secretary of state or county clerk and put out false information in any format about our elections.”

He also took it a step further: “As you look to protect candidates and voters from such practices, I urge you to consider inclusion of election officials. An impersonation of me, or my deputy secretary, or senior staff of the State Board of Elections, or a county clerk, actually could do more harm than impersonation of a candidate.”

Task force co-chair Sen. Amanda Mays Bledsoe, R-Lexington, filed a bill during the 2024 legislative session that would have allowed candidates to take legal action against deep fake sponsors. The bill won unanimous approval in the Senate, but no vote was taken in the House. Adams said he was grateful for her work.

When Mays Bledsoe asked Adams about balancing free speech and protection of the electoral process, he pointed out the Federal Election Commission is considering a disclaimer requirement for political ads using generative AI.

“If there is a disclaimer requirement,” Adams said, “I think that easily passes muster. There are a lot of disclaimer requirements in just a standard ad. I think very clearly a disclaimer law is constitutional and would easily pass review.”