The following is a guest post and opinion of Manouk Termaaten, Founder and CEO of Vertical Studio AI

Governments are using AI for disinformation—an unethical, authoritarian use with grave implications for freedom and truth around the world.

The fact that nation-states use AI for disinformation has major implications for freedom of thought, free elections, and the sovereignty of nation-states from foreign adversaries. Governments all over the world are using this technology to keep populations in a constant state of confusion.

China, for instance, has been accused by Taiwan of employing generative AI to litter the island nation with disinformation. According to the island’s National Security Bureau, the goal is to divide Taiwan’s public. Taiwan views the action as yet one more attempt to undermine its sovereignty.

In a report sent to parliament, the country’s security bureau claimed it had discovered over half a million “controversial messages” in 2025 already, most of which were on Facebook and TikTok.

“As the application of AI technology becomes more widespread and mature, it has also been found that the Chinese Communist Party has been using AI tools to assist in the generation and dissemination of controversial messages,” the report said.

Many other examples of nation-states using AI for disinformation purposes persist.

In 2024, Russia’s state-backed Pravda Network inundated the World Wide Web with 3.6 million fake articles. The goal? To manipulate AI models to adopt pro-Kremlin narratives and thereby influence public opinion. Clearly, Russia sees AI as a way to promote its propaganda and has even targeted U.S. citizens.

China also exercised influence via AI over Taiwan’s 2024 election, in which China-based operations created AI-generated deepfake videos to spread disinformation, including a contrived history of outgoing leader Tsai Ing-wen. Microsoft Go to Source to See Full Article
Author: Manouk Termaaten