Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes has released the final report from the state’s Artificial Intelligence & Election Security Advisory Committee, offering a deep dive into how artificial intelligence (AI) impacts election security. The report underscores both the risks and potential benefits of AI in election administration while providing recommendations for ensuring secure and trustworthy elections. 

Formed in June 2024, the committee was co-chaired by Chris Cummiskey, CEO of Cummiskey Strategic Solutions, and Gowri Ramachandran, director of elections and security at the Brennan Center for Justice. It consisted of experts from government, academia, and the private sector, working to assess AI’s role in election processes and how to mitigate emerging threats.

Fontes emphasized that AI presents a “dual-edged nature” in elections. While it offers tools to enhance administrative efficiency and voter outreach, it also introduces risks such as deepfakes, disinformation campaigns, and cybersecurity threats. The report follows a series of tabletop exercises conducted before the 2024 election to test AI’s potential impact on Arizona’s election infrastructure. These efforts, Fontes noted, helped the state navigate attempted Election Day disruptions, including multiple bomb threats.

The committee identified several key challenges. It pointed to election offices’ limited resources, which create vulnerabilities, and highlighted the complexity of regulating AI’s role in elections. The lack of comprehensive data-sharing agreements between election administrators and tech companies was also cited as a barrier to effectively managing AI-related risks.

Among its recommendations, the committee proposed the establishment of an AI Election Laboratory at a university to train officials and test AI applications in election administration. It also called for closer collaboration between election officials, technology companies, and policymakers, as well as expanded voter education efforts to help the public distinguish between real and AI-generated election information.

The report detailed AI’s potential positive contributions, such as automating routine election office tasks, improving voter roll management, and bolstering cybersecurity defenses. However, it also warned of AI-driven cyberattacks, deepfake disinformation targeting election officials, and the erosion of public trust due to AI-generated falsehoods.

Fontes stressed that the future of election security depends on proactive measures. “AI is already reshaping elections,” he said, “and we must stay ahead of the threats while harnessing its benefits for voters and election officials alike.”

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