Europe warns of pro-Russian propaganda in chatbots

Pro-Russian groups are targeting popular AI systems with Kremlin-friendly material in an effort to make chatbots repeat propaganda, according to senior European officials. The activity has raised alarms over the potential for AI tools to quietly influence what voters believe, particularly as the United States approaches its midterm elections.

European officials are urging democracies to coordinate their response as foreign disinformation tactics move beyond social media and search platforms into conversational AI. The concern is that users may treat chatbot answers as neutral or authoritative, allowing political messaging seeded into AI systems to spread without the visibility associated with traditional online campaigns.