Conspiracy Theorists Think Biden Has Been Replaced by AI

AI conspiracy theories target President Biden: A new wave of unfounded claims suggests that President Joe Biden has been replaced by artificial intelligence, building on older conspiracy theories about body doubles but incorporating cutting-edge technology.

• Social media platforms have become breeding grounds for these theories, with one influencer’s post about supposed AI glitches during a Biden broadcast garnering 78,000 views.
• These claims persist despite being consistently debunked by journalists present at events and professional fact-checkers.
• The conspiracy theories range from assertions that Biden has died to claims that AI and holograms are being used to simulate his continued presence and functionality as president.

Evolution of conspiracy narratives: The emergence of AI-focused conspiracy theories represents a natural progression from older, similar claims, adapting to incorporate new technologies as they become part of the public consciousness.

• Previous iterations of such theories often centered around the use of body doubles or lookalikes to replace public figures.
• As deepfake technology and AI have advanced, conspiracy theorists have seamlessly integrated these concepts into their narratives.
• A notable example from 2021 involved a Facebook video claiming that Biden was “computer generated” during an appearance on the White House lawn, which was promptly debunked but still gained traction.

Challenges in combating misinformation: The rapid spread of these conspiracy theories highlights the ongoing struggle to effectively counter misinformation in the digital age.

• Debunking false claims requires significant time and resources from journalists and fact-checkers.
• Meanwhile, conspiracy theorists can quickly move on to new claims, creating a constant cycle of misinformation.
• The persistence of these theories, even in the face of clear evidence to the contrary, underscores the difficulty in changing deeply held beliefs.

Technological advancements fuel speculation: The ongoing development of AI and deepfake technology provides fertile ground for conspiracy theorists to cast doubt on the authenticity of any audio or video content featuring public figures they oppose.

• As these technologies become more sophisticated and widely known, they offer a convenient explanation for any perceived inconsistencies or oddities in public appearances.
• The ability to create convincing fake audio and video content has led to increased skepticism about the authenticity of media in general.
• This skepticism, while sometimes warranted, can be exploited to promote unfounded conspiracy theories.

Impact on public discourse: The proliferation of AI-related conspiracy theories about President Biden has potential implications for public trust in government and media.

• These theories can contribute to a broader erosion of trust in traditional sources of information and authority figures.
• The spread of such misinformation may influence public opinion and potentially affect political discourse and decision-making.
• Addressing these conspiracy theories requires a delicate balance between debunking false claims and avoiding giving them undue attention.

Broader implications for information literacy: The rise of AI conspiracy theories underscores the growing importance of digital literacy and critical thinking skills in navigating the modern information landscape.

• As technology continues to advance, the ability to discern fact from fiction becomes increasingly crucial for informed citizenship.
• Education initiatives focused on media literacy and critical evaluation of online content may become more essential in combating the spread of misinformation.
• The ongoing challenge lies in fostering a public that is both skeptical of unverified claims and receptive to factual information from credible sources.