Vanderbilt Researchers Warn: AI-Driven Propaganda Threatens Democracy

Vanderbilt University researchers Brett V. Benson and Brett J. Goldstein are sounding the alarm on the rise of AI-driven propaganda, urging urgent action from academia, government, and industry. Their recent New York Times essay, based on a 400-page trove of documents uncovered by the Vanderbilt Institute of National Security, reveals how Chinese-linked company GoLaxy deployed sophisticated AI propaganda campaigns in Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Key Findings & Warnings:

  • AI removes limits of cost and scale in propaganda, enabling mass influence at unprecedented speed.

  • Campaigns can now deliver hyper-personalized messaging, tailored down to individuals.

  • Evidence shows GoLaxy built data profiles on thousands of U.S. political leaders, raising serious national security concerns.

  • Collaboration across disciplines, like the pairing of political science and computer science at Vanderbilt, was key to decoding the documents.

The researchers emphasize that universities are uniquely positioned to lead the fight against AI propaganda, thanks to their neutrality, trust, and interdisciplinary strength. Collaboration and trust in academia, they argue, may be democracy’s best defense against this rapidly evolving threat.

Full article here. 

Submitted by Jason Gigax on
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