Missouri's Attorney General Andrew Bailey has stepped up to throw a wrench into what he claims is a pattern of AI-powered misinformation, targeting none other than former President Donald Trump. Bailey dispatched formal letters to tech heavyweights Google, Microsoft, OpenAI, and Meta, demanding they come clean about their AI chatbots—like ChatGPT and Gemini—allegedly twisting facts and showing political bias under the guise of neutrality. Bailey's move reflects a broader concern that AI could be ushering in a subtle form of censorship, one that's slipped past the radar until now.
In a somewhat bold, perhaps even overtly political stance, Bailey has chosen to somewhat aggressively interrogate these tech giants' algorithms. It seems that some AI chatbots didn't give Trump the credit Bailey believes he deserves, especially regarding his track record with Israel and antisemitism. Not only did these virtual bots allegedly rank Trump unfairly, but they've also been caught spitting out what Bailey terms "radical rhetoric" when quizzed about America's historical figures and foundations. This accusation comes straight from Bailey's demand letter, which was explicitly outlined on the Missouri Attorney General's Office website.
At the heart of these demands is the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act (MMPA), which Bailey is wielding like a shield against deception aimed at consumers. The tech companies in the crosshairs now face a list of requirements: they must clarify if political views tinker with their AI outputs, they have to disclose select internal records regarding input curation, and they've got to explain the apparent factual flubs coming from their chatbots. All this, according to Bailey, is to guard Missourians against the sly spread of manipulated truths.
It's not Bailey's first time taking on a case like this. He was previously involved in Missouri v. Biden in 2022, which aimed to uncover whether federal officials were pressuring social media platforms to suppress certain speech. Now, Bailey is determined not to let AI become another tool in what he sees as an effort to shape public opinion. As stated in the official press release from the Missouri Attorney General’s Office, “We will not allow AI to become just another tool for manipulation.”
While these tech conglomerates rake in millions from Missourians annually, according to Bailey, their influence falls squarely within his jurisdiction as the consumer's watchdog. For more on this story, you can view the original demand letter on the Missouri Attorney General's Office website.
