Early Voting for the general election is about three and a half months away in November.

That means there will be a lot more political ads just about everywhere, but the game changer this year is AI. 

Elections are approaching soon, and we're already being bombarded with ads, but how can we tell what's real vs what's fake?

Deepfakes are videos, images, or audio that are fabricated with artificial intelligence and they are becoming increasingly common.

Earlier this year, a fake robocall used President Joe Biden's voice telling New Hampshire residents not to vote in the primary. Donald Trump supporters created an AI generated image of black voters to encourage them to vote Republican.

Virtually anyone can create these types of phony materials, but there are some tricks to help identify a deepfake.

First, in a video, the speaker's voice may not be entirely in sync with their lips, which creates an audiovisual mismatch.

Also, expressions, like head movements, that seem unnatural could indicate the video is fake.

Deepfakes often use artificially imposed lighting onto a background that creates shadows. Also, it could be suspicious if the speaker is saying unusual comments or making out-of-character remarks.

If you think you've come across a deepfake on social media, don't share it. Instead, report the content to the platform, such as Facebook, Instagram, or X.

When policing fake election content, social media platforms can take it down, put a warning label on it or demote it.

Some oversight board members are pushing for stricter regulation when it comes to deep fakes.