INTERNATIONAL

Microsoft warns of China’s designs to disrupt Upcoming Elections in India

• 07 Apr 2024

Microsoft has warned that China is gearing up to disrupt the upcoming elections in India, the United States and South Korea by using artificial intelligence-generated content. The warning comes after China conducted a trial run during Taiwan’s presidential election, employing AI to influence the outcome.

Across the world, at least 64 countries, in addition to the European Union, are expected to hold national elections this year. These countries collectively account for approximately 49 per cent of the global population.

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. 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.

The threat posed by political advertisements employing AI technology to produce deceptive and false content, including “deepfakes” or fabricating events that never took place, is significant in a crucial poll year. Such tactics aim to mislead the public regarding candidates’ statements, stances on various issues, and even the authenticity of certain events. If allowed to go unchecked, these manipulative attempts have the potential to undermine voters’ ability to make well-informed decisions.