AI Influence Op Uses Deepfakes to Incite Revolt

Researchers have uncovered a coordinated influence operation, dubbed "PRISONBREAK," involving over 50 inauthentic social media profiles using AI to incite a popular revolt against a national government. The network extensively used AI-generated content, including a deepfake video of a military strike on a notorious prison, which was timed to coincide with a real-world military campaign conducted by a foreign power. Operators also impersonated legitimate news outlets, recycled misleading footage of protests, and artificially amplified their messages by seeding content into large online communities. The campaign's primary narrative focused on promoting regime change by creating a perception of widespread instability and civil unrest. Evidence, such as the precise synchronization with military actions, suggests the operation was most likely conducted by a foreign state actor or a contractor working under its close supervision.