Good morning! It's the last day of May! The first five months of the year are already done. That also means that summer is coming up, and sometimes there is just a little less business news than you might want. I am preparing other pieces to include in these newsletters, but in the meantime, I hope you enjoy the stories of today!

Enjoy your weekend!

X Nils

AI
As expected… AI is used to influence election

What Happened?
OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, announced on Thursday that it has detected and dismantled accounts from groups in Russia, China, Iran, and Israel that were using its technology for political influence operations. These groups utilized OpenAI’s tools to craft and translate posts, as well as automate social media activities. This revelation highlights concerns about the use of generative AI in covert propaganda efforts as the 2024 presidential election approaches.

What it Matters?
This discovery underscores the growing role of AI in political manipulation. AI allows propagandists to produce large volumes of content with fewer errors, enhancing their ability to influence public discourse. While these operations had limited reach, the involvement of well-known propaganda entities from Russia, China, and Iran, as well as an Israeli political campaign firm, shows the global nature of the issue. With previous incidents like AI-generated audio in Taiwanese elections and AI-voiced robocalls in the US, the potential for AI to spread disinformation is significant, especially because this year almost 1 in 8 people in the world is allowed to vote. Limiting the amount disinformation therefore is paramount this year

What’s Next
OpenAI and other AI companies are working to develop technologies to detect and combat AI-generated disinformation, though these tools are still in the early stages and may not be fully effective. It is crucial for governments and tech companies to work together to create defenses against AI-driven propaganda. And what about the people? We have to remain vigilant, critically evaluating online content and verifying information from multiple sources to protect ourselves from potential manipulation. As AI technology continues to evolve, proactive measures will be essential to safeguard the integrity of political processes.