Chinese hackers are using AI to inflame social tensions in US, Microsoft says
Beijing-linked influence operations have begun to use generative artificial intelligence to amplify controversial domestic issues in places like the U.S. and Taiwan, according to new research.
The campaigns mainly used the technology to create visual content designed to spark conflict ahead of elections, a report published by Microsoft on Thursday found.
AI-generated audio clips featuring a prominent Taiwanese presidential candidate, for example, were posted across social media in an attempt to sway voters to the candidate preferred by Beijing. Although YouTube quickly removed the content before it could reach large numbers of users, the posts illustrated the ability of governments to spin up fake content about practically anything. “This was the first time that Microsoft Threat Intelligence has witnessed a nation state actor using AI content in attempts to influence a foreign election,” the researchers said.
