Microsoft warned that state-backed Chinese cyber groups – with assistance from North Korean actors – “are likely to target” the presidential and legislative elections in countries such as the US, South Korea, and India this year. Their primary tactic is projected to be the creation and dissemination on social media of AI-generated content skewed to “benefit their positions” in these races.

“While the impact of such content in swaying audiences remains low, China’s increasing experimentation in augmenting memes, videos, and audio will continue – and may prove effective down the line,” Microsoft cautioned in the report released Friday.

The company cited China’s recent “dry run” utilising AI-synthesised disinformation during Taiwan’s January presidential election as a harbinger of this emerging threat. Microsoft assessed that a pro-Beijing group known as Storm 1376 or Spamouflage Dragon made the first documented attempt by a state actor to influence a foreign vote using AI-manufactured content.

Tactics deployed by the Chinese-backed operatives included posting fake audio clips likely “generated by AI” that depicted a former presidential candidate endorsing a rival, as well as AI-generated memes leveling unfounded corruption allegations against the ultimately victorious pro-sovereignty candidate William Lai. The group also created AI-rendered “news anchors” to broadcast disinformation about Lai’s personal life.

“As populations in India, South Korea, and the United States head to the polls, we are likely to see Chinese cyber and influence actors, and to some extent North Korean cyber actors, work toward targeting these elections,” the Microsoft report stated.

The company added that Chinese groups are already attempting to map divisive issues and voting blocs in the US through orchestrated social media campaigns, potentially “to gather intelligence and precision on key voting demographics ahead of the US Presidential election.”

While flagging the risk, Microsoft acknowledged that AI-enabled disinformation has so far achieved limited success in shaping public opinion globally. But it warned that Beijing’s growing investment and increasing sophistication with the technology poses an escalating threat to the integrity of democratic elections worldwide.

(Photo by Element5 Digital)

See also: How to safeguard your business from AI-generated deepfakes

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Speaking to The Times, Cleverly emphasised the rapid advancement of AI technology and its potential to undermine elections not just in the UK but globally. He warned that malign actors working on behalf of nations like Russia and Iran could generate thousands of highly realistic deepfake images and videos to disrupt the democratic process.

“Increasingly today the battle of ideas and policies takes place in the ever-changing and expanding digital sphere,” Cleverly told the newspaper. “The era of deepfake and AI-generated content to mislead and disrupt is already in play.”

The Home Secretary plans to urge collective action from Silicon Valley giants like Google, Meta, Apple, and YouTube when he meets with them this week. His aim is to implement “rules, transparency, and safeguards” to protect democracy from deepfake disinformation.

Cleverly’s warnings come after a series of deepfake audios imitating Labour leader Keir Starmer and London Mayor Sadiq Khan circulated online last year. Fake BBC News videos purporting to examine PM Rishi Sunak’s finances have also surfaced.

The tech meetings follow a recent pact signed by major AI companies like Adobe, Amazon, Google, and Microsoft during the Munich Security Conference to take “reasonable precautions” against disruptions caused by deepfake content during elections worldwide.

As concerns over the proliferation of deepfakes continue to grow, the world must confront the challenges they pose in shaping public discourse and potentially influencing electoral outcomes.

(Image Credit: Lauren Hurley / No 10 Downing Street under OGL 3 license)

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Kathy Sullivan – a prominent New Hampshire Democrat and former state party chair – is calling for the prosecution of those responsible, describing the incident as “an attack on democracy.”

The call began with a dismissive “What a bunch of malarkey,” a phrase that’s become associated with the 81-year-old president. It then went on to discourage voting in the primary, suggesting that Democrats should save their votes for the November election.

Sullivan, an attorney, believes the call may violate several laws and is determined to uncover the individuals behind it. New Hampshire attorney general, John Formella, has urged voters to disregard the call’s contents.

The robocall controversy has sparked an investigation, with NBC News releasing a recording of the call. Sullivan’s phone number was included in the message, raising concerns about privacy and potential harassment.

This incident comes amid a wider debate about the use of AI in political campaigns. OpenAI recently suspended the developer of a ChatGPT-powered bot called Dean.Bot that mimicked Democratic candidate Dean Phillips.

As concerns about AI manipulation in elections grow, advocacy groups like Public Citizen are pushing for federal regulation. A petition from Public Citizen calls on the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to regulate AI use in campaign ads. The FEC chair, Sean Cooksey, acknowledged the issue but stated that resolving it might take until early summer.

The deepfake call and politician-impersonating chatbot has intensified calls for swift action to address the potential chaos AI could cause in elections. With state lawmakers also considering bills to tackle this practice, the incident raises questions about the vulnerability of democratic processes to AI manipulation in a crucial election year.

(Photo by Manny Becerra on Unsplash)

See also: OpenAI launches GPT Store for custom AI assistants

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The bot, created by “cloning” startup Delphi, aimed to support Phillips in his political campaign. However, this move directly contradicts OpenAI’s policies, leading to the suspension of the responsible developer.

The Washington Post reported that, despite displaying a disclaimer describing the nature of the chatbot to visitors, Dean.Bot’s purpose was clear: to engage with potential supporters and spread the candidate’s message.

OpenAI, in response, confirmed the suspension of the developer—emphasising the violation of their policies. This action follows OpenAI’s recent blog post outlining preventive measures against the misuse of its technology, specifically highlighting the prohibition of “chatbots impersonating candidates” in the lead-up to the 2024 elections.

Notably, OpenAI’s policies extend beyond this particular case—explicitly stating that applications for political campaigning and lobbying are not permitted.

In a crucial election year – not just in the US, but also in other Western democracies like the UK – it’s unsurprising that OpenAI is taking a firm stance against bots that could be seen to interfere and/or spread misinformation.

In response to the inquiry, Delphi initially removed ChatGPT from the bot and continued its operation using alternative open-source tools. However, OpenAI’s intervention prompted the ultimate suspension of the chatbot on Friday night.

Visitors to the Dean.Bot website are now told the chatbot is inaccessible due to “technical difficulties,” alongside a message that reads, “Apologies, DeanBot is away campaigning right now!”

(Image Credit: Gage Skidmore under CC BY-SA 2.0 DEED license)

See also: OpenAI launches GPT Store for custom AI assistants

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