In a recent report, Microsoft has issued a warning that China is gearing up to disrupt elections in the United States, South Korea, and India through the deployment of artificial intelligence-generated content. This comes after a trial run during the presidential elections in Taiwan, according to the US tech giant.
The threat intelligence team at Microsoft anticipates that state-backed cyber groups from China, possibly with involvement from North Korea, will target prominent elections slated for 2024. The report, released on Friday, highlights the potential for Chinese cyber and influence actors to influence the electoral processes in these countries.
“At a minimum, China is expected to produce and disseminate AI-generated content via social media platforms to advance their interests in these significant elections,” the report states.
While the immediate impact of AI-generated content on swaying public opinion may be limited, Microsoft warns that this tactic could become more effective over time.
The report underscores China’s experimentation with AI in influencing foreign elections, citing the attempt during the Taiwan presidential election in January. This marked the first instance of a state-backed entity employing AI-generated content for electoral influence, according to Microsoft.
During the Taiwanese election, a Beijing-backed group known as Storm 1376, also referred to as Spamouflage or Dragonbridge, engaged in various disinformation campaigns. These included posting fake audio on YouTube, purportedly featuring a candidate endorsing another contestant, which Microsoft believes was likely AI-generated.
Furthermore, AI-generated memes targeting the eventual winner, William Lai, were circulated, making baseless allegations against him. The use of AI-generated TV news anchors, a tactic also observed in Iran, was evident in spreading false claims about Lai’s personal life.
According to Microsoft, Chinese groups are actively conducting influence campaigns in the United States as well. Social media platforms are being utilized to pose divisive questions aimed at understanding the concerns of US voters, possibly to gather intelligence for the upcoming presidential election.
The release of this report coincides with recent revelations of cybersecurity breaches attributed to state-backed Chinese cyber operators. Microsoft has faced criticism for allowing these breaches, which compromised email accounts of senior US officials. Additionally, both the US and UK governments have accused China-backed hackers of engaging in extensive cyber campaigns targeting various entities, including politicians, journalists, and election watchdogs.
