A New Orleans street magician hired to create the audio

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A New Orleans street magician said Friday that a Democratic consultant who worked for Dean Phillips’ presidential campaign hired him to create the audio for what authorities have said may be the first known attempt to use artificial intelligence to interfere with a U.S. election. Paul Carpenter, who specializes in card tricks and illusions, told The Associated Press he was hired by Steve Kramer to use AI to mimic President Joe Biden’s voice for the robocalls. He said he was surprised to learn later that the call was used in an attempt to discourage people from voting for Biden in New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation primary last month. New Hampshire authorities have said the recorded message, sent to thousands of voters two days before the Jan. 23 election, violated the state’s voter suppression laws. A spokesperson for Attorney General John Formella declined to comment Friday on whether investigators are looking into Carpenter or Kramer, saying only that the investigation continues.