Kremlin-Backed AI-Driven Propaganda Campaign Disrupted by US

The US Justice Department announced the disruption of a Kremlin-backed propaganda campaign that spread disinformation in the US using AI. Nearly 1,000 bogus social media accounts were seized. The campaign aimed to sow discord and influence geopolitical narratives favorable to Russia, particularly about its war with Ukraine.

A Russian internet propaganda campaign backed by the Kremlin that spread disinformation in the United States and relied on artificial intelligence has been disrupted, the Justice Department announced on Tuesday, with the seizure of nearly 1,000 bogus social media accounts.

Officials described the operation as part of an ongoing effort to create fictitious social media profiles purporting to belong to legitimate users but were designed to advance the aims of the Russian government. This includes spreading disinformation about its war with Ukraine.

US officials said the scheme was organized in 2022 by a senior editor at RT, a Russian-state funded media organization, with financial approval from the Kremlin and led by an officer of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB). RT did not respond to an email request for comment on Tuesday.

The disruption of the AI-driven social media bot farm comes amid rising concerns that AI technology could impact American elections, echoing past Russian influence campaigns such as the 2016 presidential election. "Today's actions represent a first in disrupting a Russian-sponsored Generative AI-enhanced social media bot farm," stated FBI Director Christopher Wray.

The Justice Department seized two domain names and 968 accounts on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. The FBI and the Cyber National Mission Force cooperated with Canadian and Dutch law enforcement for a joint cybersecurity advisory about the bot farm.

(With inputs from agencies.)