China Planning To Use AI To Disturb Elections In India, US, Warns Microsoft

Software giant Microsoft has warned that China is planning to use AI (artificial intelligence) generated content to disrupt the upcoming elections in India, the United States and South Korea. Microsoft came up with this warning after studying China’s trial run of employing AI to influence the outcome during Taiwan’s presidential election.

According to Microsoft’s threat intelligence team, Chinese state-backed cyber groups, along with involvement from North Korea, are expected to target several elections scheduled for 2024. According to Microsoft, China will likely deploy AI-generated content via social media to sway public opinions during these elections.

“With major elections taking place around the world this year, particularly in India, South Korea and the United States, we assess that China will, at a minimum, create and amplify AI-generated content to benefit its interests,” Microsoft said in its statement.

It is feared that AI technology will be used by China to produce deceptive and false content, including “deepfakes” or fabricating events that never took place, to influence the polls.