OpenAI, a leading artificial intelligence research organization, has revealed a significant attempt to use AI to influence the ongoing Lok Sabha elections in Bharat. The discovery came just four days before the election results were set to be announced.
The report from OpenAI identifies a for-hire Israeli firm named STOIC as the entity behind this covert operation. STOIC allegedly generated comments that were critical of the ruling BJP party and supportive of the opposition Congress party.
This activity was detected in early May and was aimed at manipulating public opinion during the Bharatiya elections.
As per the report, STOIC used AI models to create and edit content that was then disseminated across various social media platforms, including X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, websites, and YouTube. The intent was to deceive the public about the true origins and objectives of the content.
Union Minister of Electronics and Technology, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, responded strongly to the report. He emphasized that the BJP has been a target of misinformation and foreign interference orchestrated by some Bharatiya political parties with external support.
Chandrasekhar labeled these activities as a “dangerous threat” to Bharatiya democracy and called for a thorough investigation to uncover the vested interests behind these operations.
Chandrasekhar also criticized the timing of the report’s release, suggesting that it should have been made public earlier, rather than so close to the conclusion of the elections.
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In a related development, Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, also reported dismantling a network originating from China that was promoting a Sikh Separatist agenda. This network targeted the Sikh community in several countries, including Bharat, Australia, Canada, the UK, New Zealand, Pakistan, and Nigeria.
Meta’s report mentioned that the network used fake and compromised accounts to pose as Sikhs and post content that promoted a fictitious activist movement called “Operation K.” This movement aimed to organize pro-Sikh protests and disseminate manipulated content about various issues, such as the floods in Punjab, the global Sikh community, the pro-Sikh Separatist movement, and criticism of the Bharatiya government.
Meta highlighted that they were able to detect and remove this network before it could gain significant traction among genuine communities. The content was mainly in English and Hindi, and it often involved images likely altered using photo editing tools or generated by AI.
These revelations by OpenAI and Meta underscore the growing use of AI in information operations aimed at influencing political outcomes and manipulating public perception. Both organizations stress the need for vigilant monitoring and proactive measures to safeguard the integrity of democratic processes worldwide.
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