China Plans To Use AI To Target Upcoming Elections In India, US And South Korea: Microsoft

China is gearing up to disrupt the upcoming elections in India, US and South Korea by using artificial intelligence-generated content, tech giant Microsoft has warned.

This alert follows China's experimental use of AI to influence Taiwan's presidential election outcome.

With elections looming in at least 64 countries and the European Union, covering nearly half of the global population, the threat is significant.

According to the Microsoft's threat intelligence team, the Chinese and North Korean state-backed cyber groups will target the 2024 elections, using AI to generate and disseminate content on social media to manipulate public opinion.

Microsoft said that China will likely deploy AI-generated content via social media to sway public opinion in favour of their interests 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, NDTV reported.

India's general elections are set to start on 19 April, with a seven-phase voting process ending on 1 June, and final results expected by 4 June.

Microsoft said that during the Taiwanese election, a Beijing-backed group known as Storm 1376, or Spamouflage, was notably active.

This Chinese Communist Party-linked group circulated AI-generated content, including fake audio endorsements and memes, aimed at discrediting certain candidates and influencing voter perceptions.

The use of AI-generated TV news anchors, is a tactic also employed by Iran.

"Storm-1376 has promoted a series of AI-generated memes of Taiwan's then-Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate William Lai, and other Taiwanese officials as well as Chinese dissidents around the world. These have included an increasing use of AI-generated TV news anchors that Storm-1376 has deployed since at least February 2023," Microsoft said.

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