Report: China Could Use AI to Interfere with Elections in India & US

Microsoft has issued a warning that China is likely to attempt to disrupt elections in India, the United States, and South Korea this year using content generated by artificial intelligence (AI). The warning comes after China allegedly conducted a trial run during the presidential election in Taiwan. Microsoft also revealed that it expects Chinese state-backed cyber groups, with some support from North Korea, to target high-profile elections in 2024.

According to the report, "As populations in India, South Korea and the United States head to the polls, we are likely to see Chinese cyber and influence actors, and to some extent North Korean cyber actors, work toward targeting these elections."

Microsoft states that, at a minimum, China will create and distribute AI-generated content via social media that aligns with its positions in these high-profile elections. The Redmond-based company added that while the impact of AI-generated content has been minor thus far, this could change in the future.

"While the impact of such content in swaying audiences remains low, China's increasing experimentation in augmenting memes, videos and audio will continue – and may prove effective down the line," Microsoft said.

Microsoft revealed that China had already attempted an AI-generated disinformation campaign during the Taiwanese presidential elections in January, marking the first time state-backed entities used AI-based content to influence foreign elections.

A Chinese state-backed hacking group known as Storm 1376, also referred to as Spamouflage or Dragonbridge, was highly active during the Taiwanese elections. The group attempted to influence the election by posting a fake AI-generated audio clip of former Foxconn chairman and CEO, billionaire Terry Gou, who had been running in the presidential election before endorsing another candidate in November. Microsoft claims that YouTube removed the clip, likely AI-generated, before it reached a wide audience.

The Beijing-backed group also published a series of fake AI-generated memes about the ultimately successful candidate, William Lai, who supports Taiwan's sovereignty and opposes reunification with mainland China. The AI-generated content insinuated that Lai had been embezzling state funds to discredit his candidacy.

There was also an increase in the use of AI-generated TV news anchors, a tactic previously employed in Iran, with the anchors making unsubstantiated claims about Lai's private life, including allegations of fathering illegitimate children.

Microsoft noted that these news anchors were created using an app called CapCut, developed by TikTok parent company ByteDance, which has become one of the most influential Chinese companies in the last decade.

Microsoft also stated that groups operating out of China continue to mount influence campaigns in the US, possibly "to gather intelligence and precision on key voting demographics ahead of the US Presidential election," as mentioned in a blog post accompanying the report.

This report follows a White House-appointed official review board's conclusion that a "cascade of errors" by Microsoft allowed state-backed Chinese cyber operators to breach the email accounts of senior US officials. Last month, both the US and UK governments accused China-backed hackers of conducting years-long cyber campaigns targeting politicians, journalists, businesses, and the UK election watchdog.