MIT AI Risk Repository · Risk Sub-Category · 47.02.07
Misinformation and disinformation
Category: Ethical and social risks
Description
"IIl-intentioned individuals or entities may deliberately use generative AI models to produce and spread disinformation—false or misleading information knowingly presented as if true—on a massive scale. In addition to increasing the scale and reach of disinformation, generative AI can create more convincing and targeted disinformation."
From Regulating under Uncertainty: Governance Options for Generative AI (G'sell2024), as extracted by the MIT AI Risk Repository (CC BY 4.0).
Classification
- Domain
- 4. Malicious actors
- Causal entity
- Human
- Intent
- Intentional
- Timing
- Post-deployment
Subdomain definition: Using AI systems to conduct large-scale disinformation campaigns, malicious surveillance, or targeted and sophisticated automated censorship and propaganda, with the aim to manipulate political processes, public opinion and behavior.
Real-world incidents in this subdomain
- Suspected AI-Generated Deepfake Video Reportedly Targeted Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Instagram
- Purportedly AI-Manipulated Satellite Image Reportedly Claimed Iranian Strike Destroyed U.S. Radar in Qatar
- Purported AI-Generated War Footage Reportedly Circulated Widely Online During the Opening Phase of the War in Iran
- Network of Allegedly Fake Facebook Profiles with Purportedly AI-Generated Images Amplified Posts by Bulgaria's 'There Is Such a People' (ITN) Party
- Purportedly AI-Generated Image Reportedly Circulated Ahead of Thai Election Depicting PM Anutin Charnvirakul Dining with Benjamin Mauerberger
- Purportedly AI-Altered Images Reportedly Distort Evidence After Minneapolis Shooting of ICU Nurse Alex Pretti
How other frameworks describe this risk
Other entries from G'sell2024
- Technical and operational risks
- Technical vulnerabilities (Robustness - unexpected behaviour)
- Technical vulnerabilities (Robustness - unexpected behaviour)
- Technical vulnerabilities (Robustness - vulnerability to jailbreaking
- Technical vulnerabilities (Robustness - vulnerability to jailbreaking
- Technical vulnerabilities (The risk of misalignment)
- Technical vulnerabilities (The risk of misalignment)
- Factually incorrect content (inaccuracies and fabricated sources)
- Factually incorrect content (inaccuracies and fabricated sources)
- Opacity (the black box problem)
- Opacity (industry opacity)
- Opacity (industry opacity)