Exploring AI Adoption Among Russian Disinformation Actors

This project investigates the potential advantages AI confers to Russian disinformation actors in their efforts to influence and polarise the social and political behaviour of targeted European audiences.

Project: Interrogating Russian Disinformation Actors’ Understanding and Adoption of AI

Disinformation actors affiliated with the Russian state are thought to have invested heavily in AI technologies in the run-up to the 2024 European Parliament elections. Large bot networks have started using generative AI on online service platforms to produce, disseminate and amplify disinformation-related content with widespread impact. Beyond creating ever more persuasive propaganda, state-affiliated actors also use AI to polarise and deepen social divisions, centrally coordinating ‘armies’ of fake accounts to play both sides of public debates.

Despite the potential dangers, our understanding of this threat remains limited. Existing research has largely focused on uncovering AI-facilitated disinformation campaigns or understanding how audiences have reacted to this content. However, little is known about how disinformation actors themselves perceive AI, the potential benefits of this technology, and how it may be used to supplement their existing techniques, tactics and campaigns.

Aims and objectives

This project seeks to understand how Russian-affiliated disinformation actors are adopting AI for disinformation purposes to influence and polarise European audiences. Significantly, the project aims to provide a nuanced picture of how the benefits of AI are understood from the perspective of these disinformation actors.

The research will investigate how different factors have impacted the adoption of certain techniques, tactics or technologies, while seeking to predict where and how Russian state-affiliated actors are likely to exploit AI in the future.

The objective is to strengthen and transform the existing knowledge base on Russian state-affiliated disinformation efforts targeting European audiences, and to provide critical resources for European publics, tech companies, and policymakers seeking to develop effective responses and foster more informed and resilient societies.