Back
About RSIS
Introduction
Building the Foundations
Welcome Message
Board of Governors
Staff Profiles
Executive Deputy Chairman’s Office
Dean’s Office
Management
Distinguished Fellows
Faculty and Research
Associate Research Fellows, Senior Analysts and Research Analysts
Visiting Fellows
Adjunct Fellows
Administrative Staff
Honours and Awards for RSIS Staff and Students
RSIS Endowment Fund
Endowed Professorships
Career Opportunities
Getting to RSIS
Research
Research Centres
Centre for Multilateralism Studies (CMS)
Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies (NTS Centre)
Centre of Excellence for National Security
Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (IDSS)
International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR)
Research Programmes
National Security Studies Programme (NSSP)
Social Cohesion Research Programme (SCRP)
Studies in Inter-Religious Relations in Plural Societies (SRP) Programme
Other Research
Future Issues and Technology Cluster
Research@RSIS
Science and Technology Studies Programme (STSP) (2017-2020)
Graduate Education
Graduate Programmes Office
Exchange Partners and Programmes
How to Apply
Financial Assistance
Meet the Admissions Team: Information Sessions and other events
RSIS Alumni
Outreach
Global Networks
About Global Networks
RSIS Alumni
Executive Education
About Executive Education
SRP Executive Programme
Terrorism Analyst Training Course (TATC)
International Programmes
About International Programmes
Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior Military Officers (APPSMO)
Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior National Security Officers (APPSNO)
International Conference on Cohesive Societies (ICCS)
International Strategy Forum-Asia (ISF-Asia)
Publications
RSIS Publications
Annual Reviews
Books
Bulletins and Newsletters
RSIS Commentary Series
Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses
Commemorative / Event Reports
Future Issues
IDSS Papers
Interreligious Relations
Monographs
NTS Insight
Policy Reports
Working Papers
External Publications
Authored Books
Journal Articles
Edited Books
Chapters in Edited Books
Policy Reports
Working Papers
Op-Eds
Glossary of Abbreviations
Policy-relevant Articles Given RSIS Award
RSIS Publications for the Year
External Publications for the Year
Media
Cohesive Societies
Sustainable Security
Other Resource Pages
News Releases
Speeches
Video/Audio Channel
External Podcasts
Events
Contact Us
S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies Think Tank and Graduate School Ponder The Improbable Since 1966
Nanyang Technological University Nanyang Technological University
  • About RSIS
      IntroductionBuilding the FoundationsWelcome MessageBoard of GovernorsHonours and Awards for RSIS Staff and StudentsRSIS Endowment FundEndowed ProfessorshipsCareer OpportunitiesGetting to RSIS
      Staff ProfilesExecutive Deputy Chairman’s OfficeDean’s OfficeManagementDistinguished FellowsFaculty and ResearchAssociate Research Fellows, Senior Analysts and Research AnalystsVisiting FellowsAdjunct FellowsAdministrative Staff
  • Research
      Research CentresCentre for Multilateralism Studies (CMS)Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies (NTS Centre)Centre of Excellence for National SecurityInstitute of Defence and Strategic Studies (IDSS)International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR)
      Research ProgrammesNational Security Studies Programme (NSSP)Social Cohesion Research Programme (SCRP)Studies in Inter-Religious Relations in Plural Societies (SRP) Programme
      Other ResearchFuture Issues and Technology ClusterResearch@RSISScience and Technology Studies Programme (STSP) (2017-2020)
  • Graduate Education
      Graduate Programmes OfficeExchange Partners and ProgrammesHow to ApplyFinancial AssistanceMeet the Admissions Team: Information Sessions and other eventsRSIS Alumni
  • Outreach
      Global NetworksAbout Global NetworksRSIS Alumni
      Executive EducationAbout Executive EducationSRP Executive ProgrammeTerrorism Analyst Training Course (TATC)
      International ProgrammesAbout International ProgrammesAsia-Pacific Programme for Senior Military Officers (APPSMO)Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior National Security Officers (APPSNO)International Conference on Cohesive Societies (ICCS)International Strategy Forum-Asia (ISF-Asia)
  • Publications
      RSIS PublicationsAnnual ReviewsBooksBulletins and NewslettersRSIS Commentary SeriesCounter Terrorist Trends and AnalysesCommemorative / Event ReportsFuture IssuesIDSS PapersInterreligious RelationsMonographsNTS InsightPolicy ReportsWorking Papers
      External PublicationsAuthored BooksJournal ArticlesEdited BooksChapters in Edited BooksPolicy ReportsWorking PapersOp-Eds
      Glossary of AbbreviationsPolicy-relevant Articles Given RSIS AwardRSIS Publications for the YearExternal Publications for the Year
  • Media
      Cohesive SocietiesSustainable SecurityOther Resource PagesNews ReleasesSpeechesVideo/Audio ChannelExternal Podcasts
  • Events
  • Contact Us
    • Connect with Us

      rsis.ntu
      rsis_ntu
      rsisntu
      rsisvideocast
      school/rsis-ntu
      rsis.sg
      rsissg
      RSIS
      RSS
      Subscribe to RSIS Publications
      Subscribe to RSIS Events

      Getting to RSIS

      Nanyang Technological University
      Block S4, Level B3,
      50 Nanyang Avenue,
      Singapore 639798

      Click here for direction to RSIS

      Get in Touch

    Connect
    Search
    • RSIS
    • Publication
    • RSIS Publications
    • Enhancing ASEAN Cooperation Against AI-Powered Cyber Influence Operations
    • Annual Reviews
    • Books
    • Bulletins and Newsletters
    • RSIS Commentary Series
    • Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses
    • Commemorative / Event Reports
    • Future Issues
    • IDSS Papers
    • Interreligious Relations
    • Monographs
    • NTS Insight
    • Policy Reports
    • Working Papers

    CO24130 | Enhancing ASEAN Cooperation Against AI-Powered Cyber Influence Operations
    Benjamin Ang, Muhammad Faizal Bin Abdul Rahman

    06 September 2024

    download pdf

    SYNOPSIS

    Artificial intelligence is increasingly used to power cyber influence operations in geopolitical competitions and conflicts, especially after the acceleration of generative AI development in 2022. As such operations could impact the security of countries in Southeast Asia, the ASEAN member states should study them in depth and cooperate more in information sharing.

    Photo: Pixabay

    COMMENTARY

    OpenAI, the organisation that developed the artificial intelligence (AI) tool ChatGPT, announced in August 2024 that it had identified and banned accounts using the tool to generate content for an influence operation targeting the 2024 US presidential campaign. With help from Microsoft’s threat intelligence reports, OpenAI found that this operation was likely to be linked to Iran. The operation used ChatGPT to create socially polarising articles to share on social media and websites.

    Similar to how commercially available drone technology has made airpower more attainable by lesser military actors, commercially available generative AI, which is AI capable of generating text, images, videos, or other data using generative models, places more information power in the hands of such actors engaged in conflicts with major cyber powers.

    AI is increasingly being applied in cyber influence operations as part of geopolitical competitions or information warfare during armed conflicts. Its utility has enhanced the strategic importance of the digital battlespace, increasing the risk of conflict involving the major powers.

    Generative AI and the Digital Battlefield

    This is not the first time AI has been used in influence operations. Earlier this year, Microsoft and OpenAI disrupted the operations of threat actors ostensibly connected to Russia, Iran, China, and North Korea, who used OpenAI services like ChatGPT not only in influence operations but also to create content for use in phishing campaigns, research the ways that processes could be hidden in a system, and the ways malware could evade detection. OpenAI also revealed that Israel had used ChatGPT to produce deceptive content that praised Israel’s conduct in the war in Gaza.

    Ominously, threat actors – particularly the North Korea-linked threat actor Emerald Sleet – have used AI tools to identify experts and organisations dealing with defence issues in the Asia-Pacific. Besides using AI with autonomous systems to identify human targets for elimination, the technology can be used to identify targets for influence operations or intelligence collection through spear-phishing attacks.

    Earlier, cyber influence operations also attempted to use AI to create socially polarising content, especially around armed conflicts like the Russia-Ukraine war and the Israeli-Hamas war. Such operations aimed to demoralise enemy troops and destabilise the opponent’s society. For example, in 2022, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, threat actors circulated deepfake videos falsely depicting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his military leaders spreading messages aimed at confusing the Ukrainian public and damaging troop morale.

    Iran’s use of ChatGPT to influence the 2024 US presidential campaign is one of the latest cases illustrating the evolving and disruptive risks to national and regional security that come with rapid advancements in AI technology. The technology’s prowess in geopolitical and military conflicts was less pronounced before the sudden acceleration in generative AI development around 2022.

    The technological tools available today are still insufficient for detecting deepfakes where generative AI is used. Moreover, the increasing distrust due to the use of deepfakes and lack of digital literacy could cause people to misperceive bona fide content as deepfakes.

    A Concern for ASEAN Security?

    Why is the use of generative AI in Iranian cyber influence operations targeting the US presidential campaign an issue for ASEAN member states to be concerned about?

    At the strategic level, AI-powered cyber influence operations targeting the US presidential campaign would widen schisms in American society and potentially impact US foreign policy and defence strategy. This could cause major powers worldwide to adjust their security postures, a scenario that would create implications for Asia-Pacific security, including that of ASEAN.

    At the operational level, Iranian cyber influence operations illustrate the transnational nature of cyber and information threats. Malicious but persuasive content can be created in one place and then digitally transmitted around the world. Threat actors could use deceptive “phishing” emails to trick victims across borders into downloading malware or disclosing passwords, enabling them to launch cyber or information attacks thousands of kilometres away.

    Such threats to national and regional security are complex and can only be fended off through cooperation between states. States will respond better to such threats if there is information exchange regarding influence operations, whether AI-powered or not. States with fewer resources and experience in dealing with such threats could also benefit from capacity-building programmes by the digitally advanced states, which would, in turn, benefit from the uplifted cyber resilience and digital literacy of their partners.

    Enhancing Digital Defence Cooperation

    Unlike the civilian sector, information sharing and capacity building are more challenging in the defence sector, where threat information and intelligence are often closely guarded secrets. But now that AI-powered cyber influence operations are playing out in geopolitical competition and armed conflicts, the defence establishments of ASEAN member states should leverage existing platforms to enhance cooperation.

    In this regard, the defence establishments of ASEAN member states should maximise the potential of the Malware Information Sharing Platform established by the ADMM Cybersecurity and Information Centre of Excellence (ACICE) and use the opportunities offered by the Digital Defence Symposium that the latter co-organises to examine AI-powered cyber influence threats in greater depth along with the civilian sector and tech companies.

    About the Authors

    Senior Fellow Benjamin Ang is the Head of the Centre of Excellence for National Security (CENS) and Head of Digital Impact Research (DIR) at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. Muhammad Faizal is a Research Fellow in the Regional Security Architecture Programme at RSIS’ Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (IDSS).

    Categories: RSIS Commentary Series / International Politics and Security / Technology and Future Issues / Country and Region Studies / International Political Economy / Southeast Asia and ASEAN / Global / East Asia and Asia Pacific / South Asia
    comments powered by Disqus
    Ponder It: Enhancing ASEAN Cooperation Against AI-Powered Cyber Influence Operations

    SYNOPSIS

    Artificial intelligence is increasingly used to power cyber influence operations in geopolitical competitions and conflicts, especially after the acceleration of generative AI development in 2022. As such operations could impact the security of countries in Southeast Asia, the ASEAN member states should study them in depth and cooperate more in information sharing.

    Photo: Pixabay

    COMMENTARY

    OpenAI, the organisation that developed the artificial intelligence (AI) tool ChatGPT, announced in August 2024 that it had identified and banned accounts using the tool to generate content for an influence operation targeting the 2024 US presidential campaign. With help from Microsoft’s threat intelligence reports, OpenAI found that this operation was likely to be linked to Iran. The operation used ChatGPT to create socially polarising articles to share on social media and websites.

    Similar to how commercially available drone technology has made airpower more attainable by lesser military actors, commercially available generative AI, which is AI capable of generating text, images, videos, or other data using generative models, places more information power in the hands of such actors engaged in conflicts with major cyber powers.

    AI is increasingly being applied in cyber influence operations as part of geopolitical competitions or information warfare during armed conflicts. Its utility has enhanced the strategic importance of the digital battlespace, increasing the risk of conflict involving the major powers.

    Generative AI and the Digital Battlefield

    This is not the first time AI has been used in influence operations. Earlier this year, Microsoft and OpenAI disrupted the operations of threat actors ostensibly connected to Russia, Iran, China, and North Korea, who used OpenAI services like ChatGPT not only in influence operations but also to create content for use in phishing campaigns, research the ways that processes could be hidden in a system, and the ways malware could evade detection. OpenAI also revealed that Israel had used ChatGPT to produce deceptive content that praised Israel’s conduct in the war in Gaza.

    Ominously, threat actors – particularly the North Korea-linked threat actor Emerald Sleet – have used AI tools to identify experts and organisations dealing with defence issues in the Asia-Pacific. Besides using AI with autonomous systems to identify human targets for elimination, the technology can be used to identify targets for influence operations or intelligence collection through spear-phishing attacks.

    Earlier, cyber influence operations also attempted to use AI to create socially polarising content, especially around armed conflicts like the Russia-Ukraine war and the Israeli-Hamas war. Such operations aimed to demoralise enemy troops and destabilise the opponent’s society. For example, in 2022, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, threat actors circulated deepfake videos falsely depicting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his military leaders spreading messages aimed at confusing the Ukrainian public and damaging troop morale.

    Iran’s use of ChatGPT to influence the 2024 US presidential campaign is one of the latest cases illustrating the evolving and disruptive risks to national and regional security that come with rapid advancements in AI technology. The technology’s prowess in geopolitical and military conflicts was less pronounced before the sudden acceleration in generative AI development around 2022.

    The technological tools available today are still insufficient for detecting deepfakes where generative AI is used. Moreover, the increasing distrust due to the use of deepfakes and lack of digital literacy could cause people to misperceive bona fide content as deepfakes.

    A Concern for ASEAN Security?

    Why is the use of generative AI in Iranian cyber influence operations targeting the US presidential campaign an issue for ASEAN member states to be concerned about?

    At the strategic level, AI-powered cyber influence operations targeting the US presidential campaign would widen schisms in American society and potentially impact US foreign policy and defence strategy. This could cause major powers worldwide to adjust their security postures, a scenario that would create implications for Asia-Pacific security, including that of ASEAN.

    At the operational level, Iranian cyber influence operations illustrate the transnational nature of cyber and information threats. Malicious but persuasive content can be created in one place and then digitally transmitted around the world. Threat actors could use deceptive “phishing” emails to trick victims across borders into downloading malware or disclosing passwords, enabling them to launch cyber or information attacks thousands of kilometres away.

    Such threats to national and regional security are complex and can only be fended off through cooperation between states. States will respond better to such threats if there is information exchange regarding influence operations, whether AI-powered or not. States with fewer resources and experience in dealing with such threats could also benefit from capacity-building programmes by the digitally advanced states, which would, in turn, benefit from the uplifted cyber resilience and digital literacy of their partners.

    Enhancing Digital Defence Cooperation

    Unlike the civilian sector, information sharing and capacity building are more challenging in the defence sector, where threat information and intelligence are often closely guarded secrets. But now that AI-powered cyber influence operations are playing out in geopolitical competition and armed conflicts, the defence establishments of ASEAN member states should leverage existing platforms to enhance cooperation.

    In this regard, the defence establishments of ASEAN member states should maximise the potential of the Malware Information Sharing Platform established by the ADMM Cybersecurity and Information Centre of Excellence (ACICE) and use the opportunities offered by the Digital Defence Symposium that the latter co-organises to examine AI-powered cyber influence threats in greater depth along with the civilian sector and tech companies.

    About the Authors

    Senior Fellow Benjamin Ang is the Head of the Centre of Excellence for National Security (CENS) and Head of Digital Impact Research (DIR) at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. Muhammad Faizal is a Research Fellow in the Regional Security Architecture Programme at RSIS’ Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (IDSS).

    Categories: RSIS Commentary Series / International Politics and Security / Technology and Future Issues / Country and Region Studies / International Political Economy

    Popular Links

    About RSISResearch ProgrammesGraduate EducationPublicationsEventsAdmissionsCareersVideo/Audio ChannelRSIS Intranet

    Connect with Us

    rsis.ntu
    rsis_ntu
    rsisntu
    rsisvideocast
    school/rsis-ntu
    rsis.sg
    rsissg
    RSIS
    RSS
    Subscribe to RSIS Publications
    Subscribe to RSIS Events

    Getting to RSIS

    Nanyang Technological University
    Block S4, Level B3,
    50 Nanyang Avenue,
    Singapore 639798

    Click here for direction to RSIS

    Get in Touch

      Copyright © S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies. All rights reserved.
      Privacy Statement / Terms of Use
      Help us improve

        Rate your experience with this website
        123456
        Not satisfiedVery satisfied
        What did you like?
        0/255 characters
        What can be improved?
        0/255 characters
        Your email
        Please enter a valid email.
        Thank you for your feedback.
        This site uses cookies to offer you a better browsing experience. By continuing, you are agreeing to the use of cookies on your device as described in our privacy policy. Learn more
        OK
        Latest Book
        more info