AI-driven Chinese businesses disseminating propaganda towards American politicians and influencers
A Chinese AI company, GoLaxy, has been accused of using artificial intelligence to build detailed data profiles on US politicians, influencers, journalists, and thought leaders. The allegations, based on leaked internal documents, suggest that GoLaxy's operations extend beyond monitoring public sentiment to include the generation of persuasive and adaptive content, and rapid counterattacks on targeted narratives.
The AI-driven system, known internally as the "Smart Propaganda System" or "GoPro," is described as a next-generation information warfare tool. According to the documents, reviewed by Vanderbilt University researchers, GoLaxy's system can "be aware of political situations, target in real time, create high-quality content and perform rapid counterattacks."
GoLaxy has amassed data on at least 117 sitting US lawmakers, over 2,000 American political and thought leaders, and thousands of right-wing influencers and journalists. The company gathers data from millions of social media posts daily from platforms such as Weibo, Facebook, and X to refine these profiles and track evolving narratives in real-time.
Despite GoLaxy's public denial of engaging in psychological profiling, election interference, or activities directed by the Chinese government, evidence links it closely with China's Ministry of State Security and other national security agencies. The company reportedly receives backing from Sugon, a supercomputing firm blacklisted by the US.
U.S. national security experts and former intelligence officials view GoLaxy’s AI-enabled influence operations as a profound evolution in gray zone conflict. The shift from laborious manual campaigns to highly automated, scalable, and precise manipulations blending factual data with AI-generated synthetic messaging is designed to sway opinions and political discourse at unprecedented speed and scale.
The documents reveal that GoLaxy operates in Hong Kong and Taiwan, influencing public opinion in favor of Beijing's policies. However, the recent uncovering of these documents has led to GoLaxy rapidly removing references to the technology from its website. The company sells itself as a social media mapping agency that monitors public sentiment on Chinese networks.
The implications of this evolution are significant. It signals the increasing use of AI by China to conduct more sophisticated, efficient, and covert influence operations targeting the US political ecosystem and social media landscape. The Russians were previously rated as the best at information warfare, but China is now rapidly changing this trend.
As the use of AI in information warfare continues to evolve, it is crucial for governments and tech companies to address these concerns and work towards creating a safer digital environment.
[1] Vanderbilt University researchers review leaked documents revealing details about GoLaxy's operations. [2] GoLaxy denies misconduct; documents reveal ties to Chinese security agencies. [3] GoLaxy uses AI to generate social media profiles and map existing ones to influence public opinion. [4] GoLaxy's AI-enabled influence operations viewed as a profound evolution in gray zone conflict. [5] GoLaxy operates in Hong Kong and Taiwan, influencing public opinion in favor of Beijing's policies.
- The use of artificial intelligence by GoLaxy, as revealed by the leaked documents, extends beyond monitoring public sentiment to include the generation of persuasive and adaptive content, real-time targeting, and rapid counterattacks on targeted narratives - practices that raise concerns about cybersecurity and general news.
- Despite GoLaxy's public denial of engaging in psychological profiling, election interference, or activities directed by the Chinese government, evidence links the company closely with China's Ministry of State Security and other national security agencies, indicating a potential breach of political security.
- The technology employed by GoLaxy, such as the "Smart Propaganda System" or "GoPro," is described as a next-generation information warfare tool that can be aware of political situations, gather data from millions of social media posts daily, and refine profiles to track evolving narratives in real-time - a technological advancement that can significantly impact AI, cybersecurity, and general-news domains.
