The Possibility of AI Being Used in Propaganda

Who is The Possibility of AI Being Used in Propaganda?

Taken from JRE 2050 w/Ehsan Ahmad:

Topics and Timestamps

• 01Joe and Ehsan Ahmad discuss how AI is being weaponized for propaganda and disinformation campaigns
• 02The conversation covers streaming platform numbers and how content distribution has changed the media landscape
• 03Smith-Mundt Act explained: the law that historically prevented US government propaganda domestically
• 04AI makes it easier than ever to create convincing deepfakes and manipulated media for spreading false narratives
• 05The erosion of traditional gatekeepers means anyone with AI tools can now produce propaganda at scale
• 06Discussion of how foreign actors and domestic bad actors exploit AI to influence public opinion
• ▶Streaming numbers and media distribution landscape0:00:00
• ▶AI being used for propaganda and deepfakes0:03:43
• ▶How AI makes creating convincing false content accessible to anyone0:04:30
• ▶Smith-Mundt Act explained and its erosion in the digital age0:07:18
• ▶Discussion of defending against AI-generated propaganda0:10:00

The Show

In this episode, Joe and Ehsan Ahmad dive into one of the most pressing issues of our time: how artificial intelligence is being weaponized for propaganda. The conversation starts with some context about streaming numbers and how the media landscape has fundamentally shifted, but quickly pivots to the real meat of the discussion - the dangerous intersection of AI and disinformation.

Ahmad breaks down the mechanics of how AI is being used to create convincing propaganda. With deepfake technology becoming increasingly sophisticated, it's now possible to generate realistic videos, audio, and written content that can fool millions of people. The scary part isn't just the technology itself, but how accessible it's becoming. You don't need to be a major government or corporation to weaponize AI anymore. Anyone with the right tools and motivation can produce propaganda at scale.

One of the most important pieces of this conversation is the discussion of the Smith-Mundt Act. This is a law that was passed to prevent the US government from propagandizing its own citizens. The act basically created a firewall between foreign propaganda operations and domestic populations. But as Ahmad explains, the landscape has changed so dramatically with social media and AI that the spirit of this law is being circumvented. Traditional media gatekeepers who used to filter information are gone. Now anyone can be a publisher, and AI makes it easier to create convincing false content.

What makes this episode so compelling is how Joe pushes Ahmad on the practical implications. How do you even defend against something like this? If deepfakes are indistinguishable from real videos, how do we know what to believe? Ahmad doesn't shy away from these hard questions. The discussion acknowledges that we're potentially entering an era where the average person's ability to discern truth from fiction becomes nearly impossible.

The episode also touches on how both foreign adversaries and domestic actors are already using these tools. China, Russia, and other state actors are investing heavily in AI propaganda. But so are corporations, political campaigns, and individuals with agendas. It's an asymmetric information war where the weapons are getting more powerful by the day.

Best Quotes