Alexa Spreads Misinformation About 2020 Election, Citing Discredited Right-Wing Sources While Other AI Assistants Give Accurate Answers

Alexa falsely claimed the 2020 election was stolen, citing right-leaning sites like Rumble and Substack as sources. This spreads misinformation, even as Amazon promotes Alexa as a reliable news source.

Multiple investigations found no evidence of widespread fraud in the 2020 election. But Alexa still gives inaccurate responses to some questions about supposed election fraud.

Alexa's false claims about the 2020 election could presage issues with misinformation spreading via AI systems like voice assistants ahead of the 2024 election.

Alexa disclosing its sources provides some transparency. But drawing evenly from left and right sources, regardless of accuracy, risks spreading misinformation in an attempt to seem unbiased.

Other voice assistants like Google Home and Siri give accurate answers about the 2020 election not being stolen. But lawmakers have raised concerns about the threat posed by AI systems spreading misinformation about elections.