MIT AI Risk Repository · Risk Sub-Category · 49.01.02#1

Disinformation and manipulation of public opinion

Category: Malicious Use Risks

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Description

"AI, particularly general- purpose AI, can be maliciously used for disinformation (351), which for the purpose of this report refers to false information that was generated or spread with the deliberate intent to mislead or deceive. General- purpose AI- generated text can be indistinguishable from genuine human- generated material (352, 353), and may already be disseminated at scale on social media (354). In addition, general- purpose AI systems can be used to not only generate text but also fully synthetic or misleadingly altered images, audio, and video content. General- purpose AI tools mig

From International Scientific Report on the Safety of Advanced AI (Bengio2024), as extracted by the MIT AI Risk Repository (CC BY 4.0).

Classification

Domain: 4. Malicious actors
Subdomain: 4.1 Disinformation, surveillance, and influence at scale
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

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How other frameworks describe this risk

Electoral interference
A Collaborative, Human-Centred Taxonomy of AI, Algorithmic, and Automation Harms (Abercrombie2024)
Political manipulation
A Collaborative, Human-Centred Taxonomy of AI, Algorithmic, and Automation Harms (Abercrombie2024)
Coercion/manipulation
A Collaborative, Human-Centred Taxonomy of AI, Algorithmic, and Automation Harms (Abercrombie2024)
Political and Economic
A Collaborative, Human-Centred Taxonomy of AI, Algorithmic, and Automation Harms (Abercrombie2024)
Biased influence through citizen screening and tailored propaganda
The Rise of Artificial Intelligence - Future Outlooks and Emerging Risks (Allianz2018)
Political
The Rise of Artificial Intelligence - Future Outlooks and Emerging Risks (Allianz2018)
Surveillance and Censorship
Foundational Challenges in Assuring Alignment and Safety of Large Language Models (Anwar2024)
Manipulation of public opinion
International AI Safety Report 2025 (Bengio2025)

Other entries from Bengio2024

Malicious Use Risks Risk Category · 4.0
Harm to individuals through fake content Risk Sub-Category · 4.3
Harm to individuals through fake content Additional evidence
Cyber offence Risk Sub-Category · 4.2
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Cyber offence Additional evidence
Dual use science risks Risk Sub-Category · 4.2
Risks from Malfunctions Risk Category · 7.0
Risks from product functionality issues Risk Sub-Category · 5.1
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Risks from product functionality issues Additional evidence
Risks from product functionality issues Additional evidence