In a recent warning issued by top US intelligence officials, it has been highlighted that the 2024 US election is facing an increasing number of “diverse and complex” foreign interference threats due to the rapid development of artificial intelligence. Major players in these threats include Russia, China, and Iran, along with other governmental and non-governmental actors.
During a hearing held on Wednesday (15th) by the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, National Intelligence Director Avril Haines pointed out that Russia remains the most active foreign threat in elections. The goals of the Russian government are to undermine American democracy, deepen social divisions within the US, and weaken support for Ukraine.
China, on the other hand, often seizes opportunities to promote a favorable view of its own system and policies while portraying the US election as chaotic, ineffective, and lacking in representation. Although China has the capability to interfere in elections, its activities are often extremely covert to avoid exposure. Iran has been increasingly active in disrupting the US elections, utilizing social media platforms to issue threats and spread misinformation.
Haines stated that over the past few years, three trends have made these threats more diverse and complex. This includes the influx of more foreign governments and non-governmental interveners. The collaboration between foreign governments and commercial entities in interference activities has increased the complexity and difficulty of tracking such activities. Additionally, emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and big data analysis have lowered the costs of interference operations, exacerbating the crisis.
Despite the escalating threats, Haines also mentioned that in recent years, the federal government’s ability to protect elections against threats has continuously improved, and preparatory work is thoroughly comprehensive.
Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Democratic Senator Mark Warner, mentioned during the hearing that declassified intelligence assessment reports reveal that not only Russia, China, and Iran are involved, but also Cuba, Venezuela, Islamic extremists, and a range of foreign hackers and profit-driven cybercriminals are attempting to influence US politics.
Senator Warner cited instances of foreign interference in elections and manipulation of public opinion, including harassment of candidates and impersonation of US organizations. For example, Russian hackers impersonating social media accounts claiming to represent the Tennessee Republican Party and the “Black Lives Matter” movement.
Furthermore, artificial intelligence technology has become a risk factor in elections, especially with deepfake technology that could deceive voters. Bipartisan senators have called for a $320 billion investment in Congress for artificial intelligence research to maintain a technological edge.
On Wednesday (15th), the Senate Rules Committee passed three bills to protect elections from AI deception. These bills include the Protect Elections from Deceptive AI Act, the AI Transparency in Elections Act, and the Preparing Election Administrators for AI Act.