OpenAI exposes covert AI operations targeting Indian Lok Sabha polls

 Just four days ahead of the Lok Sabha poll results, OpenAI has disclosed its disruption of covert operations utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) models to sway elections in India. The bombshell report unveils a for-hire Israeli firm's involvement in generating comments favoring the opposition Congress party while criticizing the ruling BJP, stirring concerns about external interference in Indian electoral processes.

According to the threat intelligence report by OpenAI, the clandestine campaign was initiated by STOIC, a political campaign management firm based in Israel. The report underscores the deployment of AI to manipulate public opinion and influence political outcomes, with a specific focus on the Indian polls. The covert network, operationalized from Israel, strategically employed platforms such as X, Facebook, Instagram, websites, and YouTube to disseminate deceptive content targeting Indian audiences.

The report emphasizes that these threat actors utilized AI-generated content to deceive individuals regarding their identities and motives. Notably, the network intensified its operations in early May, aiming at English-speaking audiences in India, as outlined in the OpenAI report.

Union Minister of Electronics and Technology, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, condemned the revelations, denouncing the infiltration of misinformation and foreign interference targeting Indian democracy. He underscored the urgent need for thorough scrutiny and investigation into these nefarious activities, pointing fingers at vested interests both within and outside India.

Furthermore, Meta, the parent company of platforms like Facebook and Instagram, unveiled a separate report detailing the removal of numerous accounts, pages, and groups on Instagram propagating a pro-Khalistan agenda. Originating from China, this network purportedly posed as Sikhs, leveraging compromised and fake accounts to orchestrate disinformation campaigns across various countries including India, Australia, Canada, and the UK.

The fictitious activist movement dubbed "Operation K" spearheaded by this network aimed to incite pro-Sikh protests, utilizing manipulated images and AI-generated content to fuel unrest. Meta's prompt action in removing such content underscores the critical role of vigilance in combating disinformation campaigns, particularly those with geopolitical implications.