Stanford University professor Jeff Hancock accused of using AI to cite fake study
A Stanford University professor has come under fire for allegedly using artificial intelligence to create testimony that was later used by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison in a high-profile case. The case involves a satirical conservative YouTuber named Christopher Kohls and Minnesota’s ban on political deepfakes, which the plaintiffs argue infringes on free speech.
Jeff Hancock, a professor of communications and founder of Stanford’s Social Media Lab, provided an expert declaration in support of the law. Hancock is known for his research on deception with technology, including fake online reviews. However, the plaintiff’s lawyers have accused him of citing a fake study in his testimony.
The alleged study, titled “The Influence of Deepfake Videos on Political Attitudes and Behavior,” was said to be published in the Journal of Information Technology & Politics. However, the lawyers found that no such study existed, leading them to believe that it may have been generated by an AI language model like ChatGPT.
The lawyers also raised concerns about the lack of methodology and analytic logic in Hancock’s declaration, as well as Ellison’s reliance on the conclusions drawn from it. They argued that the fabricated citation called into question the quality and veracity of the entire document.
Despite extensive searches on search engines and academic databases, the lawyers were unable to locate any evidence of the alleged study’s existence. They concluded that if the declaration was based on fabricated material, it should be excluded from court consideration.
Fox News Digital reached out to Ellison, Hancock, and Stanford University for comment on the matter. It remains to be seen how this controversy will impact the ongoing case and the credibility of the expert testimony provided by Hancock.
