Secretary Fontes Releases Final Report on AI and Election Security: Proposes Groundbreaking AI Elections Lab

PHOENIX – Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes released the long-awaited Final Report drafted by the Artificial Intelligence and Election Security Advisory Committee. The report details how new technologies can streamline election operations, while also sounding the alarm on the potential negative uses of AI that can erode public trust. 

“Before anyone even considers rolling out AI solutions that affect voter registration or signature verification statewide, we need a secure test environment,” Secretary Fontes said. “An AI Elections Lab would act as a sandbox to pilot new tools, prioritize privacy, and uphold our constitutional protections.” 

Secretary Fontes also recognized the significant contributions of Committee Co-chairs Chris Cummiskey and Gowri Ramachandran, whose leadership proved instrumental in shaping the Final Report and its recommendations. 

The committee’s findings show that AI offers significant benefits for election administration, but also opens the door to new forms of disinformation and deepfake attacks. To address these challenges, the committee calls for an AI Elections Lab that would develop rigorous guidelines and pilot programs, ensuring emerging technologies are applied responsibly while maintaining the integrity of our democracy. This Lab would also serve as a resource for federal and state lawmakers, helping them stay ahead of AI-driven threats and adopt global best practices to keep Arizona, and the nation, at the forefront of election security. 

The report calls on stakeholders to support this initiative by bringing together tech firms, researchers, and election regulators. Through this collaboration, the AI Elections Lab would establish data-sharing frameworks, craft policy guidelines on AI-generated materials, and develop best practices for labeling machine-produced content. 

Recent Innovations in Arizona Elections 

• Tabletop Exercises (TTXs): 

Arizona conducted first-of-its-kind TTXs to simulate AI-driven threats and evaluate possible responses, an effort for which it was awarded a “Clearie” from the Election Assistance Commission. 

• AI-Driven Chatbots: 

These tools, deployed by the Secretary of State in the 2024 election, relieved staff of thousands of phone calls and provided real-time assistance to more than 281,000 voters by sending over 550,000 SMS messages containing critical election-related communications and over 655,000 chatbot interactions. 

• C2PA-Compliant Photos: 

The Secretary of State’s Office has launched a C2PA-compliant repository of photography and video to combat visual manipulation and bolster trust in official election documentation. 

To read the executive summary, findings, and discussion, please access the Final Report.