Chinese AI campaign accuses US government of Kentucky train derailment cover-up

The derailment of a train carrying molten sulphur in Kentucky, USA, resulted in an opportunistic, AI-powered disinformation campaign by a group associated with the Chinese government. 

Approximately one week after the derailment of the train, China's Storm-1376 group (also known as Spamouflage and Dragonbridge launched a social media-based campaign that amplified the derailment, spread anti-US government conspiracy theories, and highlighted political divisions among US voters with the objective of encouraging mistrust of and disillusionment with the US government. 

Storm-1376 urged audiences to consider whether the US government may have caused the derailment and is 'deliberately hiding something.' Some messages even likened the derailment to 9/11 and Pearl Harbor cover-up theories.

Whilst it is unclear how successful the campaign was in meeting its objectives, the campaign is seen as an example of how AI can be misused for geo-political purposes.

Investigations, assessments, audits 🧐

• Microsoft (2024). China tests US voter fault lines and ramps AI content to boost its geopolitical interests

• Microsoft (2024). East Asia threat actors employ unique methods (pdf)

News, commentary, analysis 🗞️

• https://apnews.com/article/train-derailment-chemical-spill-kentucky-livingston-csx-9335e2d502da05e195e43ccc4476c8bf

• https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20240405-microsoft-says-china-using-ai-to-sow-division-in-us

• https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/china-ai-content-division-us/

• https://time.com/6963787/china-influence-operations-artificial-intelligence-cyber-threats-microsoft/

• https://uk.news.yahoo.com/microsoft-says-china-using-ai-182629859.html