World-first social media wargame reveals how AI bots can swing elections
The Conversation • • world
Key Points:
- On December 14, 2025, a terrorist attack at Bondi Beach, Sydney, killed 15 civilians and one gunman, followed by rapid spread of AI-generated misinformation on social media, including manipulated videos and deepfake images falsely linking individuals to the attack.
- Generative AI has significantly amplified misinformation globally, creating fake profiles and bots that simulate consensus and manipulate public opinion for political and financial gain.
- The Capture the Narrative social media wargame involving 108 university teams demonstrated how easy it is to use consumer-grade AI to flood platforms with false content, influencing a simulated election outcome by a margin of 1.78%.
- The study revealed that AI-driven misinformation campaigns exploit emotional language and micro-targeting to engage
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