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The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned the Moscow-based Center for Geopolitical Expertise (CGE) and the Iranian Cognitive Design Production Center for their roles in election interference. The CGE, working with Russian intelligence, utilized generative AI to create and disseminate disinformation and deepfake videos targeting U.S. political candidates to influence the 2024 election. These actions were part of a broader effort to stoke socio-political tensions and undermine confidence in U.S. democratic institutions.
The Moscow-based Center for Geopolitical Expertise (CGE) allegedly used AI to produce and spread deepfakes and disinformation targeting U.S. political candidates during the 2024 general election, aiming to sway public opinion and disrupt the electoral process. On December 31, 2024, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions against the CGE and its director, Valery Korovin, for their reported role in this interference.
Domain classification, causal taxonomy, severity scores, and national security assessments were LLM-classified and may contain errors.
Using AI systems to conduct large-scale disinformation campaigns, malicious surveillance, or targeted and sophisticated automated censorship and propaganda, with the aim of manipulating political processes, public opinion, and behavior.
Also classified as
The actors used AI to generate content across a network of over 100 fake news websites to create false corroboration and pollute the information ecosystem.
The incident involves a coordinated, state-sponsored foreign influence campaign using generative AI to conduct large-scale disinformation operations aimed at manipulating the U.S. political process.
Human
Due to a decision or action made by humans
Intentional
Due to an expected outcome from pursuing a goal
Post-deployment
Occurring after the AI model has been trained and deployed
The disinformation campaign was intentionally orchestrated by human actors (CGE and GRU) using deployed generative AI tools to influence the 2024 U.S. election.
Added categories peak at 4: Severe (Epistemic Harm, Inferred)
State-sponsored Russian and Iranian actors utilized generative AI to conduct a sophisticated disinformation campaign targeting the 2024 U.S. presidential election. By deploying deepfakes of candidates and leveraging self-hosted AI infrastructure to bypass controls, these adversaries sought to undermine democratic processes, posing a severe threat to national sovereignty and information security.
The reports describe generative AI tools being used by CGE personnel to 'quickly create disinformation' and manipulate video content. The AI operated on direct human input to perform specific content generation functions without exhibiting autonomous planning or agency.
Limited Risk: The reports describe the use of generative AI to create deepfakes and synthetic disinformation. According to the EU AI Act, AI systems that generate or manipulate image, audio or video content (deepfakes) pose a moderate risk and are subject to specific transparency obligations.
The CGE used generative AI tools to create deepfakes of a vice presidential candidate and quickly generate disinformation content to distribute across fake news websites.
The reports from multiple reputable sources (U.S. Treasury, major news outlets) consistently detail the sanctions, the entities involved (CGE, GRU), and the specific use of generative AI to create disinformation and deepfakes targeting the 2024 election. The role of the AI as a tool for content generation is clearly defined.
None. The incident is clearly a state-sponsored foreign influence campaign utilizing AI-generated content.
Technology
Generative AI Tools
Used to quickly create disinformation at scale for election interference.
Deepfake Video Manipulation
Constructed baseless accusations targeting a vice presidential candidate.
Self-Hosted AI Server
Hosted tools locally to bypass blocks by foreign web-hosting providers.
Data Inputs
Manipulated Media Inputs
Used real videos as input to generate doctored deepfakes of candidates.
Imitation News Content
AI was fed templates of legitimate news to mimic authentic outlets.
Human Factors
U.S.-Based Facilitators
Helped build and maintain the AI-support server and pay rent.
GRU Officer Direction
Directly coordinated and financed CGE personnel to run AI operations.
Electorate Vulnerability
Susceptibility of U.S. voters to targeted digital disinformation.
Process and Methods
Fake Website Networks
Used 100+ fake sites to distribute AI content and false corroboration.
Obfuscation of Origin
Designed distribution methods to hide the Russian state origin of content.
AI-Powered Botfarms
Used AI to automate nearly 1,000 fake social media personas.
Management
GRU Financial Sponsorship
Funded server infrastructure and operations to enable AI disinformation.
CGE Director Coordination
Oversaw the execution of AI-driven influence operations.
State-Directed Mandate
Russian and Iranian leadership directed organizations to stoke discord.
Regulatory Environment
Sovereign Enforcement Limits
Sanctions are reactive and struggle to stop active foreign AI operations.
AI system involved
Identified by automated extraction; can differ from the alleged developers above.
