AI 'bot swarms' could be used to sway voters
What's the story
A group of leading artificial intelligence (AI) and misinformation experts have warned that political leaders could soon use swarms of human-like AI agents to manipulate public opinion. The warning comes from a global consortium including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa and top researchers from Berkeley, Harvard, Oxford, Cambridge, and Yale. They are sounding the alarm over a new "disruptive threat" posed by hard-to-detect malicious "AI swarms" infesting social media and messaging channels.
Potential misuse
AI swarms could disrupt elections
The experts have warned that these AI swarms could be used by would-be autocrats to sway populations into accepting canceled elections or overturning results. The technology is expected to be deployed on a large scale by the time of the US presidential election in 2028. The warnings were published in the journal Science, along with calls for coordinated global action against this risk, including "swarm scanners" and watermarked content to counter AI-run misinformation campaigns.
Emerging threat
A new form of propaganda
The authors of the warning said, "A disruptive threat is emerging: swarms of collaborative, malicious AI agents." These systems can coordinate autonomously, infiltrate communities, and fabricate consensus efficiently. They adaptively mimic human social dynamics, posing a serious threat to democracy. However, Inga Trauthig, an expert in propaganda technology, believes that politicians may hesitate to adopt such advanced tech due to their reluctance to give up campaign control to AIs.
Cautious approach
Experts call for caution in AI deployment
The warning was issued by a team of experts, including Gary Marcus from New York University and Taiwan's first digital minister Audrey Tang. They have raised concerns over the possible misuse of AI technology to undermine electoral processes. The experts also highlighted that political leaders could deploy unlimited numbers of AIs to pose as humans online and infiltrate communities, learning their foibles over time.
Current usage
AI bots already being used in political campaigns
AI bots have been increasingly engaging with citizens on social media platforms like Threads and Facebook. These bots provide a lot of information that can't be verified, creating an "information overload." They may even cite fake articles about how America will abandon Taiwan or stress to younger Taiwanese people that the China-Taiwan dispute is complicated "so do not take sides if you have no knowledge."