Russia's AI strategy aims to influence US presidential election US intelligence reveals

Russia has produced more artificial intelligence (AI) content aimed at influencing the upcoming presidential election than any other foreign nation, part of a strategy to support Republican candidate Donald Trump and undermine Democrat Kamala Harris. 

The official from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), speaking on condition of anonymity, shared these insights during a briefing to reporters about the alleged use of AI by Russia and other countries in the context of the November 5 vote, Caliber.Az reports via Reuters.

The official noted that the AI content generated by Moscow aligns with its broader agenda to bolster Trump's candidacy while disparaging Harris and the Democratic Party, often employing conspiratorial narratives.

While China is also utilizing AI in its global influence efforts, the official clarified that it is not aiming to sway the US election results. "China is using AI in broader influence operations to shape global perceptions and amplify divisive US political issues," he explained, adding that there is currently no evidence of China deploying AI specifically to target US election outcomes.

Generative AI, a subset of artificial intelligence, learns from past data to create new content that mimics human production, such as text, images, and videos. The ODNI official indicated that Russia's efforts to generate AI content surpass those of any other nation, though he did not provide specific metrics on the volume of content created. He characterized Russia as a more sophisticated player with a deeper understanding of US electoral processes and strategic targets.

When asked about the methods of disseminating AI-generated content, the official referenced a July 9 announcement from the Justice Department, which disrupted an alleged operation linked to Moscow that used AI-enhanced social media accounts to disseminate pro-Kremlin messages.

The official also mentioned a widely circulated video featuring a woman claiming to be a victim of a hit-and-run by Harris; while this video was notable, it was staged rather than generated through AI, as confirmed by Microsoft, which attributed it to a covert Russian disinformation campaign.

Iranian influence actors have similarly leveraged AI to create social media posts and craft misleading news articles for sites that appear legitimate. This content, produced in English and Spanish, has targeted American voters on polarizing topics such as the Israel-Palestine conflict and various presidential candidates, according to the official.

By Tamilla Hasanova