The Era of AI Propaganda: Global Reach, Subtle Threats, and What It Means for Thailand
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.