The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) released an assessment on Monday, stating that artificial intelligence (AI) is being utilized by foreign powers, particularly Russia and Iran, to enhance influence operations targeting the upcoming US elections in November.
According to the ODNI, AI is seen as an 'influence accelerant' rather than a revolutionary tool, with foreign actors using it to overcome language barriers and disseminate disinformation to US voters. However, US intelligence officials believe that foreign operatives are still behind in developing sophisticated AI models and strategically targeting AI-generated content.
Iran has been using AI to create content in Spanish related to divisive US political issues such as immigration, while also targeting voters across the political spectrum on polarizing topics like the Israel-Gaza conflict. On the other hand, Russia has been identified as generating the most AI content related to the US election, with a focus on boosting former President Donald Trump's candidacy and undermining Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign.
China, although utilizing AI to amplify divisive US political issues, is not actively trying to shape specific US election outcomes, as per the US intelligence assessment. Foreign operatives have also resorted to traditional influence techniques, including staging videos to spread disinformation.
Recent incidents involving Russian operatives staging videos to spread false information about Vice President Harris and promoting misleading content on social media platforms have raised concerns among US intelligence agencies. Russia's sophisticated understanding of US elections and targeted approach in influencing public opinion have been highlighted as significant threats.
While foreign powers have considered deploying AI capabilities in previous US elections, the effectiveness of such tactics remains a subject of debate among US officials. Despite preparations by Chinese and Iranian operatives to create fake AI-generated content during the 2020 election campaign, concerns about their capability to deploy deepfakes effectively were raised.
In conclusion, the use of AI in foreign influence operations poses a significant challenge to US election security, with ongoing efforts by foreign actors to exploit technology for their strategic interests.
