China may use AI anchors, memes to disrupt polls in India: Microsoft report
An analysis by Microsoft has revealed that Chinese state-backed cyber groups, with support from North Korea, will attempt to target polls in India, the United States and South Korea.
"China will create and amplify AI-generated content to benefit its interests. Despite the chances of such content affecting election results remaining low, China's increasing experimentation in augmenting memes, videos, and audio will likely continue, and may prove more effective down the line," the report said.
“As populations in India, South Korea and the United States head to the polls, we are likely to see Chinese cyber and influence actors, and to some extent North Korean cyber actors, work toward targeting these elections,” the Microsoft report reads.
Last month, Microsoft's co-founder Bill Gates met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed the use of artificial intelligence and the menace of deepfake content generated through various AI tools.
"In a vast country like India, there is always a possibility of misguiding through deepfake. What if somebody puts out an obnoxious piece on me? People may believe it initially," PM Modi had told Gates.
Microsoft said in the report that China had already attempted an AI-generated disinformation campaign in the Taiwan presidential election in January. The company said this was the first time it had seen a state-backed entity using AI-made content in a bid to influence a foreign election.
A Beijing-backed group called Storm 1376, also known as Spamouflage or Dragonbridge, was highly active during the Taiwanese election.
Its attempts to influence the election included posting fake audio on YouTube of the election candidate Terry Gou – who had bowed out in November – endorsing another candidate. Microsoft said the clip was “likely AI generated”. YouTube removed the content before it reached many users.
Microsoft said that “at a minimum” Chinese efforts will create and distribute through social media AI-generated content that “benefits their positions in these high-profile elections”.
The company added that the impact of AI-made content was minor but warned that could change.
“While the impact of such content in swaying audiences remains low, China’s increasing experimentation in augmenting memes, videos and audio will continue – and may prove effective down the line,” said Microsoft.
Microsoft said the news anchors were created by the CapCut tool, which is developed by Chinese company ByteDance, the owner of TikTok.
Microsoft added that Chinese groups continue to mount influence campaigns in the US. It said Beijing-backed actors are using social media accounts to pose “divisive questions” and attempt to understand issues dividing US voters.
“This could be to gather intelligence and precision on key voting demographics ahead of the US Presidential election,” said Microsoft in a blog post accompanying the report.
One post on X, formerly Twitter, referred to a $118bn bipartisan bill in the US that combined a $20bn of investment in the US-Mexico border with a $75bn package for Ukraine and Israel. It asked: “What’s your reaction?” Another flagged the loss of an F-35 fighter in South Carolina last year, saying “only under the Biden administration” could a valuable piece of military hardware be lost – although debris was found soon after – and asked “what do you think about this?”
The report was published in the same week that a White House-appointed official review board said “a cascade of errors” by Microsoft let state-backed Chinese cyber operators break into email accounts of senior US officials. Last month, the US and UK governments accused China-backed hackers of waging a years-long cyber campaign targeting politicians, journalists and businesses, as well as the UK’s election watchdog.
Microsoft said the news anchors were created by the CapCut tool, which is developed by Chinese company ByteDance, the owner of TikTok.
Microsoft added that Chinese groups continue to mount influence campaigns in the US. It said Beijing-backed actors are using social media accounts to pose “divisive questions” and attempt to understand issues dividing US voters.
“This could be to gather intelligence and precision on key voting demographics ahead of the US Presidential election,” said Microsoft in a blog post accompanying the report.
One post on X, formerly Twitter, referred to a $118bn bipartisan bill in the US that combined a $20bn of investment in the US-Mexico border with a $75bn package for Ukraine and Israel. It asked: “What’s your reaction?” Another flagged the loss of an F-35 fighter in South Carolina last year, saying “only under the Biden administration” could a valuable piece of military hardware be lost – although debris was found soon after – and asked “what do you think about this?”
The report was published in the same week that a White House-appointed official review board said “a cascade of errors” by Microsoft let state-backed Chinese cyber operators break into email accounts of senior US officials. Last month, the US and UK governments accused China-backed hackers of waging a years-long cyber campaign targeting politicians, journalists and businesses, as well as the UK’s election watchdog.
Mamata's West Bengal makes news ....yet again for 'wrong reasons' :::::
Team of anti-terror agency NIA attacked in West Bengal's East Medinipur, officer injured
** (Bhupatinagar blast took place in December 2022 at a Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader's home in the Naryabila village killing three people. NIA began probe in June 2023.)
Team of anti-terror agency NIA attacked in Bengal's East Medinipur, officer injured
A team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) was attacked in the Bhupatinagar area in East Medinipur district of West Bengal on Saturday during a raid in a 2022 bomb blast case. An officer was injured in the incident.
A team of NIA officials this morning arrested two people pertaining to the bomb blast case, including main accused Monobroto Jana. The agency team was attacked when they were on their way back to Kolkata.
An FIR has been registered with the local police regarding the incident under Sections 341 (wrongful restraint), 332 (voluntary hurt to deter public servant of duty), 352 (assault or criminal force without any grave provocation), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees or upwards), and 34 (criminal action committed by several persons with common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 3 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property (PDPP) Act.
The case has been lodged against Monobroto Jana, his family members and other unidentified persons.
An NIA source told India Today that the local police station was informed beforehand about the raid, and yet proper security arrangements were not put in place.
According to police sources, however, the NIA team went to Bhupitaninagar at 5.30 am - much earlier than they were supposed to - and then called for reinforcements.
The situation is under control now and the police have launched an investigation into the attack.
The Bhupatinagar blast took place in December 2022 at a Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader's home in the Naryabila village under Bhupatinagar Police Station, killing three people. The NIA began probing the matter in June 2023.
The attack on the NIA team came just two months after an attack on a team of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Bengal's Sandeshkhali on January 5. Expelled TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan was arrested pertaining to the attack nearly two months after he was on the run.
Some of his associates, including his security guard as well as his brother have also been arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the January 5 attack on the ED team.
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