How Generative AI is Supercharging Disinformation Campaigns in 2025

 

Generative AI is rapidly transforming disinformation campaigns, 

making them more scalable, sophisticated, and harder to detect. 

In 2025, the impact of AI-driven disinformation is expected to pose a systemic threat to democracy, public trust, and global security. 

With elections on the horizon and geopolitical tensions rising, the spread of AI-generated fake news, deepfakes, and misinformation has never been more dangerous.

1. The Explosive Growth of AI-Powered Disinformation

Automated Content Creation at Scale

The accessibility of generative AI tools has revolutionized the ability to create text, images, and videos at an unprecedented scale. 

Advanced models can now produce realistic deepfake videos of politicians, misleading news articles, and hyper-realistic synthetic influencers designed to manipulate public opinion. 

For example, AI-generated deepfakes of global leaders, such as Joe Biden and Donald Trump, have already been used in attempts to mislead voters (MIT Technology Review).

Lower Barriers to Entry

Previously, large-scale disinformation campaigns required significant resources. Now, with AI tools like Synthesia and Midjourney, even low-budget actors can create highly convincing fake content. 

This democratization of disinformation is a game-changer, allowing bad actors—including rogue states and political operatives—to spread false narratives with minimal effort (Deutsche Welle).

Algorithmic Amplification

Social media platforms rely on AI-driven algorithms to boost engagement, making them vulnerable to manipulation. AI-powered social botnets can amplify disinformation, making fake narratives go viral before fact-checkers can respond. 

This trend was highlighted in Canada’s 2025 Cyber Threats Report, which warns that generative AI is being weaponized to target democratic institutions (Government of Canada).

2. The Growing Challenge of Detection and Attribution

Blurring the Line Between Truth and Fiction

AI-generated content is making it increasingly difficult to distinguish between real and fake information. Fake news websites, AI-powered influencers, and synthetic media are eroding trust in traditional news sources. 

This fuels the “liar’s dividend” phenomenon—where the public grows skeptical of all information, even verified facts (CIGI Online).

State Actors and Evolving Tactics

Countries like Russia, China, and Iran are using AI to refine their disinformation campaigns. Beyond spreading false narratives, these efforts are increasingly paired with cyber espionage and hack-and-leak tactics. 

AI-generated deepfake pornography has even been used to discredit women and LGBTQ+ politicians, marking a disturbing evolution in digital propaganda (Lawfare).

The Attribution Nightmare

AI tools can mask the origins of disinformation, making it difficult for governments and cybersecurity experts to trace campaigns back to their sources. 

This uncertainty increases the risk of false accusations, further destabilizing geopolitical relations (LinkedIn).

3. The Threat to Elections and Democratic Institutions

AI-Driven Electoral Interference

With major elections taking place worldwide in 2025—including the Canadian federal election—AI-driven disinformation is expected to play a significant role. 

Fake endorsements, manipulated images, and fabricated news stories will likely flood social media, aiming to polarize voters and undermine trust in democratic processes (CIGI Online).

Erosion of Institutional Trust

AI-generated fake news websites are impersonating legitimate news outlets, further weakening confidence in journalism. 

In Venezuela, for example, fake English-language news channels have been used to spread pro-government propaganda, showcasing how AI can be weaponized to distort reality (MIT Technology Review).

4. Combating the AI Disinformation Crisis

Technological Countermeasures

• Watermarking AI-Generated Content: Companies are developing ways to track the origin of digital content using AI-watermarking techniques (Government of Canada).
• Advanced AI-Detection Tools: Researchers are building detection models that can identify synthetic media before it spreads (LinkedIn).

Stronger Regulations

• Holding AI Companies Accountable: There are growing calls for AI companies to be held liable for the foreseeable harms caused by their technologies.
• Banning AI Impersonation: Laws are being considered to criminalize the AI-based impersonation of real individuals and organizations (CIGI Online).

International Collaboration

• Cross-Border Agreements: Governments must work together to combat state-sponsored AI disinformation campaigns.
• Public-Private Partnerships: Social media companies, fact-checkers, and policymakers must collaborate to improve content moderation and transparency (MIT Technology Review).

Media Literacy Initiatives

• Educating the Public: Training users to recognize AI-generated content is critical in fighting disinformation (Deutsche Welle).

Final Thoughts

In 2025, generative AI is no longer just an enabler of disinformation—it has become a central force shaping the digital battlefield. As deepfake videos, hyper-personalized propaganda, and AI-generated fake news become more sophisticated, the risks to democracy and public trust will only grow. 

Urgent, coordinated action is needed to counteract these threats. The same AI that fuels the disinformation crisis must also be leveraged to detect and mitigate its impact—before it’s too late.