"Elected officials are both the bullseye and the bait for AI-driven influence campaigns launched by foreign adversaries. They are targeted with disinformation meant to sway their opinions and votes, while also serving as the raw material for used to deceive others. It's a problem so widespread that it threatens our faith in democratic institutions. Even seemingly trivial posts can add to divisions already infecting the nation."
"Over the summer, a deepfake video Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) discussing the perceived racist overtones of a jeans commercial went viral. At least one prominent news commentator was duped, sharing misinformation with his audience. While the origin of the fake is unknown, foreign adversaries, namely China, Russia, and Iran, often exploit domestic wedge issues to erode trust in elected officials."
"Last year, Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) was by a deepfake of Dmytro Kuleba, the former foreign minister of Ukraine, in an attempt to get the senator to reveal sensitive information about Ukrainian weaponry. People briefed on the FBI's investigation into the incident suggest that the Russian government could be behind the deepfake, and that the Senator was being goaded into making statements that could be used for propaganda purposes."
"In another incident, deepfake audio recordings of Secretary of State Marco Rubio deceived at least five government officials and three foreign ministers. The State Department diplomatic cable announcing the deepfake discovery also referenced an additional investigation into a Russia-linked cyber actor who had "posed as a fictitious department official." Meanwhile, researchers at Vanderbilt University's Institute of National Security that a Chinese company, GoLaxy, has used artificial intelligence to psychological profiles of individuals including 117 members of Congress and 2,000 American thought leaders."
AI-driven influence campaigns from foreign adversaries target elected officials with deepfakes, deceptive audio, and psychological profiling. Officials are targeted to sway opinions and votes and are also used as material to mislead the public. Viral deepfake videos and fabricated audio have duped commentators, government officials, and foreign ministers. Investigations suggest Russia and other adversaries have used synthetic media to provoke revealing statements and gather propaganda. Researchers report a Chinese company used AI to build psychological profiles of hundreds of lawmakers and thought leaders. Those profiles enable tailored propaganda and precise targeting that deepens divisions and erodes public trust in democratic institutions.
Read at The Cipher Brief
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