China, Russia accused of misleading Maui wildfire survivors with AI

(Eagle News) – During a Judiciary Committee hearing at Capitol Hill, Senator Mazie Hirono of Hawaii expressed her thoughts to a panel of experts about how artificial intelligence (A.I.) has been used to spread disinformation and sow mistrust in the federal government during times of disaster, specifically in the wake of the August 8 Maui wildfires.

“It is a powerful tool that can be used for good, but it can also be used to spread a lot of disinformation and misinformation, and that happened during the disaster on Maui,” said Hirono. “Maui residents were subject to disinformation—some of it coming from foreign governments, i.e., Russia—looking to sow confusion and distrust, including, ‘Don’t sign up for FEMA because they cannot be trusted.’ And I worry that with A.I., such information will only become more rampant with future disasters.”

A small percentage of Lahaina’s structures such as this worship building of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church of Christ)(center) was spared from destruction during the August 8 wildfires. However, most of the oceanside town remain off-limits to residents due to the unhealthy air quality and the lack of basic services such as water, sewage, and electricity. (Photo by Michael Robinson)

Senator Hirono also inquired about how the use of A.I. can be identified and combatted in order to prevent foreign entities, such as actors from China and Russia, from circulating disinformation and misinformation to other vulnerable communities.

Brad Smith, vice chair and president of the Microsoft Corporation, acknowledged the Senator’s concerns during the Senate-led meeting.

In his testimony, Smith denounced what he alleges as the spread of Russian and Chinese disinformation.

“We had some people, not necessarily directed by the Kremlin, but people who regularly spread Russian propaganda, trying to discourage the people of Lahaina from going to the agencies that could help them. That’s inexcusable,” Smith exclaimed.

“We saw what we believe is Chinese-directed activity trying to persuade the world in multiple languages, that the fire was caused by the United States government itself using a meteorological weapon,” Smith added. “Those are the things that we should all try to bring the international community together and agree they’re off limits.”

In addition, the Microsoft senior executive recommended three goals Congress should achieve to provide effective oversight of artificial intelligence.

  • First, Congress should prioritize A.I. safety and security.
  • Second, Congress should ensure that A.I. is used in a manner that complies with longstanding legal protections for consumers and citizens.
  • Third, Congress should ensure that A.I. is put to good use to build a government that can better serve citizens.

The forum was among a series of meetings spearheaded by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York to formally address the emerging capabilities and perceived risks involving artificial intelligence.

(Alfred Acenas, Hawaii-Pacific Bureau, Eagle News Service)