Russia and China Deploy AI in Attempts to Influence U.S. Elections, Microsoft Reports

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On Thu, 24 Oct, 8:07 AM UTC

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Microsoft reveals that Russia and China are using AI-generated content and deepfakes to target U.S. political figures, including Vice President Kamala Harris and several Republican lawmakers, ahead of the upcoming elections.

Russia Targets Vice President Harris with AI-Generated Content

Microsoft's Threat Analysis Center has uncovered a concerning trend in the lead-up to the U.S. elections: Russian operatives are leveraging artificial intelligence to create deepfake videos aimed at smearing Vice President Kamala Harris. These AI-enhanced videos portray Harris in an unfavorable light, with one falsely accusing her of illegal poaching in Zambia and another fabricating a crass reference to assassination attempts against former President Trump 12.

The tech giant reports that while most of these AI-generated videos have not gained significant traction, one piece of disinformation about Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Harris's running mate, managed to amass over 5 million views on the social media platform X within 24 hours 2.

China's Influence Operations Target Republican Lawmakers

In addition to Russian efforts, Microsoft has identified increased activity from Chinese influence operations. These campaigns, attributed to a group dubbed "Taizi Flood," are targeting down-ballot Republican candidates and Congressional members who have publicly criticized China 2.

The targeted individuals include:

  • Rep. Michael McCaul (Texas)
  • Rep. Barry Moore (Alabama)
  • Sen. Marsha Blackburn (Tennessee)
  • Sen. Marco Rubio (Florida)

Taizi Flood's tactics involve spreading antisemitic messages, amplifying corruption accusations, and promoting opposition candidates. For instance, the group circulated posts accusing Senator Rubio of involvement in a financial corruption scheme 2.

Lawmakers Respond to Foreign Interference

The targeted lawmakers have responded to these influence efforts, with many viewing them as a testament to their strong stance against China. Rep. Barry Moore stated, "We know that the CCP is antisemitic, so it isn't surprising that they are targeting me and other politicians who support Israel" 2.

Sen. Marsha Blackburn noted that China's threats against her are "nothing new," particularly in light of her scrutiny of TikTok's ties to its Beijing-based parent company, ByteDance 2.

Iran's Role in Election Interference

Microsoft's report also highlights Iranian actors targeting election-related websites and media outlets. One campaign urged Americans to boycott the elections due to candidates' support for Israel 2.

AI's Growing Role in Disinformation

The use of AI in these influence campaigns marks a significant escalation in the sophistication of foreign interference attempts. Russian state-controlled media outlets RT and Sputnik have been instrumental in spreading AI-generated content in the U.S., albeit with limited success so far 1.

Official Responses and Future Concerns

The National Intelligence Council anticipates an intensification of these efforts as the election approaches. However, they assure that such attempts will not go undetected 2.

A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy denied any intention to interfere with U.S. elections, stating, "We hope that the US side will not make an issue of China in the election" 2.

As AI technology continues to advance, the potential for its misuse in political influence campaigns remains a growing concern for election integrity and national security.

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