China turns to AI in propaganda mocking the 'American Dream'

They say it's for all, but is it really?" So begins a 65-second, AI-generated animated video that touches on hot-button issues in the United States ranging from drug addiction and imprisonment rates to growing wealth inequality. As storm clouds gather over an urban landscape resembling New York City, the words "AMERICAN DREAM" hang in a darkening sky as the video ends. The message is clear: Despite its promises of a better life for all, the United States is in terminal decline. The video, titled American Dream or American Mirage, is one of a number of segments aired by Chinese state broadcaster CGTN – and shared far and wide on social media – as part of its A Fractured America animated series. Other videos in the series contain similar titles that invoke images of a dystopian society, such as American workers in tumult: A result of unbalanced politics and economy, and Unmasking the real threat: America's military-industrial complex. CGTN and the Chinese embassy in Washington, DC did not respond to requests for comment. The Fractured America series is just one example of how artificial intelligence (AI), with its ability to generate high-quality multimedia with minimal effort in seconds, is beginning to shape Beijing's propaganda efforts to undermine the United States' standing in the world. Henry Ajder, a UK-based expert in generative AI, said while the CGTN series does not attempt to pass itself off as genuine video, it is a clear example of how AI has made it far easier and cheaper to churn out content. "The reason that they've done it in this way is, you could hire an animator, and a voiceover artist to do this, but it would probably end up being more time-consuming.