AI-Enabled Influence Operations: Threat Analysis of the 2024 UK and European Elections
Briefing Paper
Sam Stockwell, "AI-Enabled Influence Operations: Threat Analysis of the 2024 UK and European Elections," CETaS Briefing Papers (September 2024).
The Centre for Emerging Technology and Security (CETas), a research centre based in the United Kingdom (UK), has mapped the intended effects of potential AI threats at different stages of the election process as follows:
Pre-election (distrust): AI-enabled influence operations at earlier stages of the election period focus on undermining the reputation of targeted political candidates or shaping voter attitudes on specific campaign issues.
Polling period (disrupt): activities closer to polling day focus on polluting and congesting the information space, to confuse voters over specific elements of the election campaign or the voting process.
Post-election (discredit): after the polls close, operations are designed to erode confidence in the integrity of the election outcome, for instance via allegations of electoral fraud. This also undermines longer-term public trust in democratic processes.