Neural networks have become “powerful propaganda machines,” according to Valery Fadeyev
Foreign artificial intelligence systems are pushing Western ideological narratives and could serve as powerful propaganda and censorship tools, Valery Fadeyev, the head of the Russian Human Rights Council, has stated.
Speaking at a roundtable on AI threats on Tuesday, Fadeyev said that he and his team had tested foreign neural networks by asking questions about hot-button political issues – including the breakup of Yugoslavia and the Ukraine conflict. After the test run, he concluded that “we are on the brink of an ideological and informational catastrophe.”
“The texts that these chatbots produce contain ideologically charged content. They are ideologically driven Western texts. Powerful, unprecedented propaganda machines have been created,” he argued.
According to the human rights chief, the responses provided by foreign AI platforms are largely based on Western sources and filter out non-Western perspectives. He argued that this violates the Russian Constitution, which stipulates the freedom of access to information. “In practice, when we use neural networks, we receive pre-censored information, so it is probably unwise to talk about freedom of access to information here.”
Fadeyev argued that the influence of AI is now stronger than that of some traditional US-funded state media outlets, for which US President Donald Trump has cut funding. “Many observers were optimistic – perhaps this is a sign of a new relationship with the US. But why would the Americans need Voice of America or Radio Liberty when they now have in their hands this colossal power – this ideological weapon?” he said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that homegrown AI systems have been incredibly effective in improving security and state governance, stressing that the country must become a world leader in this domain. In 2023, he warned that Western-produced AI systems should not be allowed to dominate the Russian market.
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