MIT AI Risk Repository · Risk Sub-Category · 62.31.03#1
Automatically generating disinformation at scale
Category: Impacts of AI (Societal Impacts)
Description
"Disinformation (in various modalities: text, audio, images, video, etc.) can be generated with minimal human oversight and effort. Disinformation tools are relatively cheap and their technology is widely available. Such deployments can be particularly widespread in sensitive political contexts."
From Risk Sources and Risk Management Measures in Support of Standards for General-Purpose AI Systems (Gipiškis2024), 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