Who?

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) — Senate Majority Whip (ie #2 Senate Democrat)

“Now that we’ve seen deepfakes deployed — you know, using Biden’s voice — in New Hampshire, do you think Congress is going to be able to address that ahead of November?”

Key (and only…) Quote:

“Gotta ask Amy Klobuchar. I think she’s got some proposals on that, deepfakes.”

Interview helped inform this feature:

‘Abuse’: Politicians are fretting about AI stealing their faces and voices, by Matt Laslo, 1-26-2024*

*I do dozens of interviews for most features, but only a handful of them make the cut — the others help me write so authoritatively.

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Next up (& longer…):

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)

LISTEN: Laslo & Durbin

Below find a rough transcript of Ask a Pol’s exclusive interview with Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), slightly edited for clarity.

TRANSCRIPT: Sen. Dick Durbin

SCENE: Laslo’s standing in basement of US Capitol on a busy Tuesday during a Senate vote chatting with another reporter when he sees Dick Durbin and his security detail exit a tram.

Matt Laslo: “Hey, how are you? I’m gonna go get Durbin.”

Laslo approaches Durbin.

ML: “Hey, how are you, senator?”

Durbin makes eye contact.

ML: “Now that we’ve seen deepfakes deployed — you know, using Biden’s voice — in New Hampshire, do you think Congress is going to be able to address that ahead of November?”

Dick Durbin: “Gotta ask [Sen.} Amy Klobuchar (D-MN). I think she’s got some proposals on that, deepfakes.”

ML: “But it doesn’t seem like it’s a priority here now that we’re in the election.”

Durbin and his detail kept moving past a scrum of reporters and Laslo was left behind before they hopped an elevator.

DD: “Yeah.”

Matt Laslo covers tech politics for WIRED, lectures on technology’s impact on government at Johns Hopkins and is the founder of Ask a Pol — a new people-powered press corps. On social @MattLaslo // @Ask_a_Pol

Ask a Pol — asking your lawmakers your questions at your US Capitol.

*we blame Congress for typos (though ping us & we’ll take care of any!)

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