#Digitalsecurity

A surge of AI tools is turning ordinary family photos into potential risks, prompting Thai parents to rethink how they share their children’s milestones online. What began as celebrations of achievement and memory now carries the danger of AI-generated explicit imagery from innocent pictures.

The issue touches Thai family traditions of connection through photos from Songkran, school ceremonies, temple events, and family gatherings. Images that once strengthened bonds can be misused by AI platforms to create sexual content, harming children and eroding trust within communities.

Silent digital armies now patrol the internet, wielding artificial intelligence weapons that can precisely target individual minds with surgical precision, according to groundbreaking security research from Vanderbilt University. These sophisticated influence operations, spearheaded by Chinese technology firm GoLaxy, represent a quantum leap beyond the crude social media bots that disrupted global elections in previous years. Unlike their primitive predecessors, these AI-powered propaganda systems don’t simply flood platforms with obvious misinformation—they study human psychology, learn cultural nuances, and craft personalized persuasion campaigns that feel authentically local while serving foreign interests.

A new form of political manipulation is emerging online, powered by advanced artificial intelligence. Research from a leading university highlights how highly targeted AI campaigns can study individual psychology, adapt to local cultures, and craft messages that feel authentically Thai while advancing foreign interests. This is a step beyond past misinformation, moving toward personalized persuasion that can influence opinions at scale.

The shift from crude bots to professional psychological operations poses a real challenge to democratic dialogue. Modern AI-driven campaigns resemble a hybrid of sophisticated advertising and precise intelligence work. They analyze millions of online profiles to spot emotional triggers, then create synthetic personas that echo local speech, traditions, and political concerns. For Thailand’s active online communities, this evolution heightens concerns about the integrity of public debate and fair decision-making.

A new wave of artificial intelligence (AI)-powered propaganda campaigns has arrived, leveraging advanced generative technologies to subtly manipulate public opinion on a massive scale, according to a recent exposé by security researchers at Vanderbilt University The New York Times. Their report highlights operations led by Chinese tech firm GoLaxy, whose AI-driven influence tactics mark a stark escalation from the simplistic, bot-based interference attempts seen during previous American elections.

Unlike the low-quality, mass-messaging bots that sowed discord around the U.S. elections in 2016 and 2020, today’s AI-enabled campaigns are surgically precise, relentless, and nearly undetectable in their ability to shape digital conversations. This newest chapter in “grey-zone” information warfare raises urgent questions for democracies worldwide—including Thailand—about how to protect their public spheres and national debates from invisible manipulation orchestrated from abroad.

As global tensions since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine continue to reshape international travel, the latest research and reporting reveal that visiting Russia has become a far more complicated—and, for some, contentious—journey than in years past. Despite Western sanctions, flight route disruptions, and dramatic changes to digital and financial infrastructure, thousands—including sizeable numbers from Asia and the Middle East—still make the trip each year. Understanding the new landscape is crucial for Thai citizens and all potential travelers as the realities of 2025 require unprecedented preparation and vigilance. This report distills the most up-to-date advice and developments for those considering travel to Russia, with special attention to safety, logistics, and implications for Thai travelers.