China is poised to employ artificial intelligence (AI) to influence elections in India, the US, and South Korea, Microsoft cautioned on Friday. According to a blog post by Microsoft, China is utilizing fake social media accounts to gauge voters' opinions and exploit divisive issues, potentially impacting election outcomes, particularly in the US.

The warning comes from Microsoft's report on 'Threat Intelligence insights', released by the Microsoft Threat Analysis Center (MTAC) in its latest East Asia report. The report anticipates that Chinese and, to some extent, North Korean cyber actors will target elections in India, South Korea, and the United States.

How might China and North Korea exert influence on these elections?

China's influence operation: China has reportedly started using AI to create visually appealing content aimed at US political topics. Microsoft's report reveals an increase in AI-generated memes from China, targeting various controversial issues in the US, such as the Kentucky train derailment and the Maui wildfires. These efforts also touch on topics like drug use, immigration policies, and racial tensions. Additionally, the report highlights how Chinese-affiliated social media accounts pose as Americans online, engaging with authentic users across the political spectrum.

North Korea's cyber operations: North Korea is ramping up cryptocurrency heists and supply chain attacks to finance its military objectives and intelligence gathering. Furthermore, North Korean threat actors are adopting AI technologies to enhance the efficiency of their operations, potentially leading to the development of new military capabilities.

AI-generated content and anchors: The report showcases an example of Storm-1376, a group that posted videos in Mandarin and English accusing the US and India of fueling unrest in Myanmar. Interestingly, the same AI-generated anchor featured in these videos also appeared in a campaign targeting Taiwan.

Will these tactics influence voters?

Despite these efforts, there is limited evidence suggesting that such content significantly sways public opinion. However, Microsoft warns that China's ongoing experimentation with AI-generated content may prove effective in the future.

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Microsoft warns, China can manipulate elections with AI