Reuters, WASHINGTON: as part of a larger campaign to support Republican candidate Donald Trump over Democrat Kamala Harris, Russia has produced more artificial intelligence content to influence the U.S. presidential election than any other foreign power, a U.S. intelligence official said on Monday.
Speaking under anonymity, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence ODNI official addressed reporters during a briefing regarding Russia's and other nations claimed use of artificial intelligence AI to sway the election on November 5.
Moscow's use of artificial intelligence is "consistent with Russia's broader efforts to boost the former president's Trump candidacy and denigrate the vice president Harris and the Democratic Party, including through conspiratorial narratives," according to him.
Election Day
The ODNI report stated that as Election Day draws closer, the intelligence community will be on the lookout for attempts by foreign entities to spread misleading or artificial intelligence-generated content through a number of means, such as "laundering material through prominent figures," utilizing fake social media profiles or websites that pose as news outlets, or "releasing supposed leaks of AI-generated content that appear sensitive or controversial."
Russian state broadcaster RT
The Russian state broadcaster RT, which the US government claims functions as an extension of Russian intelligence agencies, was charged earlier this month by the Justice Department with providing almost $10 million to pro-Trump American influencers who uploaded videos attacking Harris and Ukraine. The influencers claim they were unaware that the funds originated in Russia.
ODNI official
The ODNI official stated on Monday that foreign actors have been slow to overcome three major barriers to preventing AI-generated content from threatening American elections: first, they must avoid security measures hidden in many AI tools; second, they must create their own advanced models; and third, they must purposely target and spread AI content.
However, Russia also employs fewer advanced techniques. According to the ODNI official, a woman stated in a video that Russian influence agents produced that she was hit and run by Harris in 2011. No proof ever happened. Microsoft stated last week that the film, which was circulated by a website posing as a local San Francisco TV station that doesn't exist, was produced in Russia.
Russian influence actors
According to the source, "Russian influence actors" set up a widely circulated video in which a woman claimed Harris had hit and ran her car. However, he claimed that the film was fake rather than created by AI. Microsoft revealed last week that its investigation revealed a secret Russian disinformation campaign produced the video.
China
According to experts, China, the third biggest foreign threat to American elections, is utilizing artificial intelligence AI in its larger influence operations to try and affect how the world views China and to raise sensitive issues in the country, including drug usage, immigration, and abortion.
Russian influence operations
According to officials, Russian influence operations have spread text, video, audio, and image theft online. This includes information produced by AI that is "of and about prominent U.S. figures," as well as content that aims to highlight controversial topics like immigration. According to officials, this is in line with the Kremlin's larger objective of promoting former President Donald Trump and criticizing Vice President Kamala Harris.
Cutting-Edge Technology
Modern technology is making it simpler for Iran and Russia to quickly and more effectively craft divided content meant to influence American voters, a representative from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, who spoke privately, told reporters during a briefing.