China is planning to interfere in the upcoming elections in the United States, South Korea, and India using artificial intelligence-generated content, following a trial during the presidential election in Taiwan, according to a warning from Microsoft.
Microsoft’s threat intelligence team reported that Chinese state-backed cyber groups, possibly with involvement from North Korea, are expected to target significant elections in 2024.
The tech company anticipates that China will utilize AI-generated content on social media platforms to influence these high-profile elections, aiming to benefit their own positions.
While the current impact of AI-generated content on audience persuasion is considered low, Microsoft cautions that China’s advancements in using AI for memes, videos, and audio may become more effective over time.
The report highlighted China’s previous attempt to influence the Taiwan presidential election through AI-generated disinformation, marking the first instance of a state-backed entity using such tactics in a foreign election.
During the Taiwan election, a Beijing-supported group known as Storm 1376, or Spamouflage, engaged in various deceptive activities, including sharing AI-generated fake audio on YouTube and spreading baseless claims against the pro-sovereignty candidate William Lai through AI-generated memes.
Additionally, Chinese groups have been conducting influence campaigns in the United States by posing divisive questions on social media platforms to understand the issues dividing American voters, potentially to gather intelligence for the upcoming US Presidential election.
The report coincided with revelations that Microsoft’s errors allowed state-backed Chinese cyber actors to breach email accounts of senior US officials. Moreover, both the US and UK governments have accused China-backed hackers of conducting prolonged cyber campaigns targeting various entities, including politicians, journalists, and businesses.
