New AI voting tool promises guidance, but key questions remain about transparency

Mi Familia en Acción, a national Latino civic engagement group, has launched Nubi, a bilingual tool powered by artificial intelligence that answers questions about registering to vote, how and where to vote, voters’ rights and the citizenship process.

The organization announced the tool on Oct. 5 and describes it as a “civic participation coach” available around the clock in English and Spanish. Nubi asks for the user’s location before answering, so its guidance on registration, ID rules, voting methods, polling places and deadlines can be specific to a state; Noticias Telemundo reported that it uses ZIP codes.

How it says it works

According to the group’s announcement, Nubi’s answers are rooted in information the organization selects and in its community expertise, with human oversight. Héctor Sánchez Barba, who leads Mi Familia en Acción, told Telemundo that the team reviews the content. The organization calls the tool nonpartisan and says it does not recommend candidates or parties.

That approach could reduce users’ exposure to the kind of errors general-purpose chatbots make. A study by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue tested six widely used AI assistants with 2,400 election questions. About 29% of English answers were incomplete, outdated or potentially misleading, and accuracy fell from 71% in English to 55% in Spanish, Latin Times reported.

What has not been disclosed

The public launch leaves several important details unaddressed. The announcement does not:

• identify the AI model or technology vendors behind Nubi;
• publish a complete list of the sources it draws on;
• lay out a schedule for updating its answers when rules change; or
• cite any independent testing of its accuracy.

It is also unclear how widely Nubi is available: the announcement does not list the states it covers, and Telemundo reported that it was available in 10 states. Telemundo said it tested two questions, about mail voting in Arizona and registration in Michigan, and got correct answers, but did not conduct a broader evaluation. District Times could not confirm whether Nubi covers the District of Columbia.

The announcement mentions privacy protections without detailing what data the tool collects or keeps. Sánchez Barba told Univision that it does not store users’ personal information.

Why it matters

Election rules can change through new legislation, court rulings and administrative decisions, sometimes close to Election Day. A tool that gives localized voting guidance is only as reliable as its sources and how quickly they are updated. Nubi’s credibility will depend on how easily users can check the sources, updates and safeguards behind its answers.

For D.C. voters

Early voting in the District runs Oct. 26 through Nov. 1, and Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Whatever tool they use, D.C. voters should confirm registration status, vote center locations and deadlines with the D.C. Board of Elections or at vote.gov.

Disclosure: Votante Latino, a Spanish- and English-language publication also owned by Atlas Media Network, LLC, has published its own review of Nubi. Neither publication has any relationship with Mi Familia en Acción or Nubi.