Microsoft's Threat Analysis Center released a report accusing China of using artificial intelligence (AI) to interfere in U.S. elections.
The goal of the new technology, which the communist regime has been perfecting over the past year, is to create controversial content on politically divisive topics such as race and gun violence.
The advantage of AI is that it generates, they explained, eye-catching content that easily goes viral. It has already been proven effective since pro-China operators began using it last March:
This relatively high-quality visual content has already drawn higher levels of engagement from authentic social media users.
The technology experts explained that, until now, China's disinformation and influence campaigns were based mainly on producing a high volume of content.
According to the report, the Chinese strategy also includes publishing content posing as American voters and deploying real users, such as influencers sympathetic to the Communist Party.
The ranks of influencers "recruited, trained, promoted, and funded" by China are constantly swelling: "In 2022 and 2023, new influencers continue to debut every seven weeks on average."
In addition, they create content in several languages: Persian, Turkish, Arabic, Hebrew, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Greek, Italian, Swahili and, of course, English and Spanish.
The operation also includes websites that pretend to be independent media, especially oriented to the Chinese diaspora.
Digital Threats From East Asia Increase in Breadth and Effectiveness (Microsoft) by Santiago Adolfo Ospital on Scribd
The Senate concerned about AI
Microsoft's report came at the same time the Senate was holding a hearing on AI. "AI has the potential to add trillions of dollars into the world economy each year. Governments and companies around the world are competing fiercely in this new market," Rep. Joe Manchin said in his opening statement. "In particular, America must accelerate our efforts to compete with and defend against China on AI."
Today, Chairman @Sen_JoeManchin held a hearing to examine recent advances in artificial intelligence and @ENERGY's role in ensuring U.S. competitiveness and security in emerging technologies.
Watch the full hearing now: https://t.co/HqEK1uGnJ7 pic.twitter.com/lq32cBR8RB
— SenateEnergyDems (@EnergyDems) September 7, 2023
That same day it was learned that Republican Senator Josh Hawley and his Democratic counterpart Richard Blumenthal will present a bill to regulate artificial intelligence.
The initiative will include security standards, transparency and licensing requirements, among others. In addition, according to the New York Times, it would create an independent federal office to oversee the technology.
As reported by Axios, the bipartisan measure will also include provisions on China:
Banning the import of AI-related technology from China and prohibiting American companies from assisting China's development of AI.
