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drm604
drm604's Journal
drm604's Journal
February 19, 2017
The Rise of the Weaponized AI Propaganda Machine
Was AI used to manipulate the election? Could something similar be used to undo the brainwashing?
https://medium.com/join-scout/the-rise-of-the-weaponized-ai-propaganda-machine-86dac61668b#.htk5dt3kf
By leveraging automated emotional manipulation alongside swarms of bots, Facebook dark posts, A/B testing, and fake news networks, a company called Cambridge Analytica has activated an invisible machine that preys on the personalities of individual voters to create large shifts in public opinion. Many of these technologies have been used individually to some effect before, but together they make up a nearly impenetrable voter manipulation machine that is quickly becoming the new deciding factor in elections around the world.
Most recently, Analytica helped elect U.S. President Donald Trump, secured a win for the Brexit Leave campaign, and led Ted Cruzs 2016 campaign surge, shepherding him from the back of the GOP primary pack to the front.
The company is owned and controlled by conservative and alt-right interests that are also deeply entwined in the Trump administration. The Mercer family is both a major owner of Cambridge Analytica and one of Trumps biggest donors. Steve Bannon, in addition to acting as Trumps Chief Strategist and a member of the White House Security Council, is a Cambridge Analytica board member. Until recently, Analyticas CTO was the acting CTO at the Republican National Convention.
...
In the past, political messaging and propaganda battles were arms races to weaponize narrative through new mediums waged in print, on the radio, and on TV. This new wave has brought the world something exponentially more insidious personalized, adaptive, and ultimately addictive propaganda. Silicon Valley spent the last ten years building platforms whose natural end state is digital addiction. In 2016, Trump and his allies hijacked them.
Most recently, Analytica helped elect U.S. President Donald Trump, secured a win for the Brexit Leave campaign, and led Ted Cruzs 2016 campaign surge, shepherding him from the back of the GOP primary pack to the front.
The company is owned and controlled by conservative and alt-right interests that are also deeply entwined in the Trump administration. The Mercer family is both a major owner of Cambridge Analytica and one of Trumps biggest donors. Steve Bannon, in addition to acting as Trumps Chief Strategist and a member of the White House Security Council, is a Cambridge Analytica board member. Until recently, Analyticas CTO was the acting CTO at the Republican National Convention.
...
In the past, political messaging and propaganda battles were arms races to weaponize narrative through new mediums waged in print, on the radio, and on TV. This new wave has brought the world something exponentially more insidious personalized, adaptive, and ultimately addictive propaganda. Silicon Valley spent the last ten years building platforms whose natural end state is digital addiction. In 2016, Trump and his allies hijacked them.
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Gender: MaleHometown: Philly region, Pennsylvania
Home country: USA
Current location: Philly region, Pennsylvania
Member since: Fri Nov 12, 2004, 03:20 PM
Number of posts: 16,230