Iranian and Chinese Actors Use AI to Influence US Presidential Election

As the US presidential election approaches, experts are warning about attempts by Iranian and Chinese actors to influence American public opinion through sophisticated social media manipulation tactics. These actors are using artificial intelligence (AI) to create targeted messages aimed at swaying voters.

Nio Thinker and Iranian Influence

A key example is the website Nio Thinker, which publishes content critical of Republican candidate Donald Trump. The site uses unusual language, such as ‘raving mad litigosaur’ and ‘opioid-filled elephant,’ indicating manipulation efforts. Initially appearing as a liberal US platform, Nio Thinker was revealed to be part of an Iranian-orchestrated influence campaign.

The site also hosts articles with a pro-Palestinian stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict while criticizing Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate challenging Trump. One article reads, ‘If the party’s presidential candidate, Kamala Harris, does not change her policy on Israel, I will not be casting a ballot for her.’

Meta and OpenAI Reports

In July, Meta published a report detailing Iranian attempts to interfere in the US election. Fraudulent accounts posing as tech support workers used phishing attacks via WhatsApp to steal information. Additionally, OpenAI has blocked social media accounts linked to Iranian threat actors who were using its generative AI platform to produce social media posts.

Ongoing External Threats

Since 2017, the US has faced numerous external threats from influence operations. Meta recorded 39 campaigns originating from Russia, 30 from Iran, and 11 from China. A notable case of potential Chinese interference involved a suspended X (formerly Twitter) account operated by a Los Angeles resident posing as a Trump supporter. The account, which once had nearly 8,000 followers, posted messages supporting Trump and criticizing liberals. X later suspended the account after determining it was a fraudulent ‘spamouflage’ account operated by Chinese actors.

These activities are reportedly linked to the Chinese government and have been active since 2017, using fake accounts to influence social media discussions. This manipulation mirrors past interference efforts, such as the 2016 Cambridge Analytica scandal, where data from 87 million Facebook accounts was misused to shape voter perceptions during that election.