Advancements in AI: A Testament to the Strength of America's National Security System

Artificial Intelligence has tremendously developed since its first creation, and in our modern world, it is more accessible and useful than ever. However, as Uncle Ben said best, “With great power comes great responsibility”. On digital platforms, it is hard to gauge how responsible certain parties are with utilizing AI, and whether they would use it with good intentions or malicious objectives. This dilemma extends further than hackers in their parents’ bedrooms, rather turning into an issue that challenges national security. Several countries such as China, Russia, and Iran intend to cause conflict within the United States’ democratic and electoral system by taking advantage of generative AI, or AI that uses already existing material to produce fake content such as images, speeches, text, etc.

Deepfakes, or altered images and videos of a real person or thing have become extremely prevalent in our society. The relatively recent picture of Pope Francis allegedly wearing a puffer jacket went viral on social media platforms, and citizens couldn’t even verify the validity of the photo because of how realistic it looked.

Other than being used to gain popularity online, generative AI also has the power to manifest into propaganda– spreading misinformation about certain political factions and individuals in order to make things play out to the orchestrating parties’ superiority.

In September 2023, only two days prior to election day in Slovakia, a counterfeit recording using voice cloning software was published on Facebook, staging an interview where a journalist and a caucus leader discussed ways to rig the upcoming election.

Instances like these pose substantial threats to America’s security administration, and raise awareness around the possibility of altered content regarding the outcome of the 2024 election results.

Generative AI could also be responsible for the promotion of various other online attacks such as digital harassment and doxxing. This would ultimately jeopardize the safety of U.S. officials and the general public, putting everyone’s physical wellbeing at risk by having their personal information exposed.

It is important that our society is educated on the harmful effects of AI on the state of America’s democracy, and voters and citizens alike must take initiatives to ensure their own security and protect their basic rights.

Stay Sunny,

Asmi