Foreign adversaries are escalating efforts as the 2024 election approaches, says a report from the national intelligence chief.
Foreign powers are increasingly using artificial intelligence (AI) to influence how Americans vote, according to a new intelligence report released just 45 days ahead of the 2024 presidential election.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) released a security update on Sept. 23 warning that China, Iran, and Russia are ramping up their respective influence efforts to shape public opinion in the United States using AI tools. These efforts are consistent with a previous warning issued by the intelligence community earlier in September, as foreign actors seek to exacerbate societal divisions and sway voters.
“These actors most likely judge that amplifying controversial issues and divisive rhetoric can serve their interests by making the United States and its democratic system appear weak and by keeping the U.S. government distracted with internal issues instead of pushing back on their hostile behavior in other parts of the world,” the Sept. 23 update reads.
Some of the foreign powers’ efforts include laundering deceptive content through prominent figures or releasing fabricated “leaks” intended to appear controversial. While AI has helped accelerate certain aspects of foreign influence operations targeting the United States, the intelligence community notes that AI has yet to revolutionize these tactics.
While China’s activity has been more general—seeking to shape global views of China and amplifying divisive U.S. political issues—Iran and Russia’s efforts have been using AI to create content more directly related to American elections.
Russia has generated the most AI content related to the U.S. election, the intelligence community report states. Moscow’s efforts span across text, images, audio, and video mediums. The Kremlin’s actions involve spreading conspiratorial narratives and AI-generated content of prominent U.S. figures aimed at deepening divides on issues like immigration.
Iran, on the other hand, has used AI to generate social media posts and inauthentic news articles for websites posing as legitimate news sources. Such content, appearing in both English and Spanish, has targeted American voters across the political spectrum, particularly focusing on divisive issues such as the Israel-Gaza conflict and the U.S. presidential candidates.
By Tom Ozimek
