Russia, Iran and China could use AI to influence US elections, report says

The United States sees a growing threat of Russia, Iran and China trying to influence the November 5 electionsincluding by using artificial intelligence to spread false or divisive information, according to an annual US threat assessment released Wednesday.

Russian “influencers” have amplified stories about immigrants entering the United States in an attempt to stoke discord, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) report, and have used generative artificial intelligence to create fake websites which appeared to be authentic US-based media outlets.

Iran has become “increasingly aggressive in its foreign influence efforts,” according to the report. In one example, Iranian actors posed as activists online to encourage protests over the conflict in Gaza, DHS said.

The United States is preparing for a close presidential election between Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and former Republican President Donald Trump, which could further inflame partisan tensions and provide opportunities for foreign adversaries to try to disrupt the democratic process.

The DHS assessment anticipates that Russia, Iran and China “will use a combination of subversive, undeclared, criminal and coercive tactics to seek new opportunities to undermine confidence in American democratic institutions and domestic social cohesion.”

Domestic violent extremists pose another serious threat, according to the report. Trump has already been the target of two alleged assassination attempts.

The report notes that it expects domestic extremists to attempt violent actions “with the intent of instilling fear among voters, candidates and election workers, as well as disrupting electoral processes.”

Among those actors, lone criminals or small cells motivated by grievances related to race, religion, gender or anti-government views pose the greatest threat, the report notes.

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