Disinformation is a real and growing threat that poses risks to both business executives and government officials alike. Social media allows for the creation of mass communication and mass fabrication that can have real world consequences. Once the purview of intelligence agencies in the Soviet Union, disinformation is now a problem no longer limited to the shadowy world of spy craft. Now, disinformation can cause mass panic and market upheaval, or create uncertainty. Uncertainty is risk. In the age of artificial intelligence (AI), this risk is greater than ever. The text you just read was written by a biological human being.
“Taiwan Strait, East China Sea - In a stunning display of military might, the United States and Chinese forces clashed near Taiwan in the early hours of this morning. The conflict, which has been brewing for months, erupted in full force as US and Chinese warships exchanged heavy artillery fire in the Strait. The US had been providing military support to Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, in the face of growing aggression from the Chinese government.
The battle was intense and lasted several hours, with both sides suffering heavy losses. US officials reported that several of their ships were hit but were able to return fire and take out several Chinese vessels.
On the Chinese side, state media reported that several of their ships were damaged but managed to hold their ground against the US assault. The Chinese military also launched a barrage of missiles towards US positions, causing significant damage.
As the battle raged on, the US reinforced its position by sending in additional troops and artillery. The Chinese responded in kind, bringing in more ships and troops to the area.
As the sun began to rise, the battle took a dramatic turn as the Chinese military deployed their newest weapon, a hypersonic missile system. The US, caught off guard, was unable to defend against the attack, and several of their ships were destroyed in a matter of minutes.
Despite this setback, the US did not give up and continued to fight on, launching airstrikes and sending in ground troops to engage the Chinese forces. The battle continued to rage on throughout the day, with neither side showing any signs of backing down.
As night fell, both sides began to retreat, with the US falling back to regroup and plan their next move. The Chinese military, meanwhile, declared victory and claimed that they had successfully defended their territorial integrity against the US aggression. The battle near Taiwan marks a major escalation in the tensions between the US and China and has sent shockwaves throughout the world. The international community is now scrambling to respond, with many calling for an immediate ceasefire and negotiations to prevent the conflict from escalating even further.
At this time, the death toll and extent of the damage are still unknown. The world waits with bated breath to see what the future holds for this volatile region.”
Imagine waking to this fictional account of an outbreak of war in the Taiwan Strait and the beginning of a major world war. How might this affect markets? If sent to the right news outlet that operates without shoe-leather journalism, such a fictional account could go viral and lead to real war. Yet, the above text is fiction. Deployed without such a disclaimer, the text becomes disinformation. Only boots-on-the-ground intelligence can safeguard businesses and governments alike from choosing catastrophe rather than prudence when catastrophe is fiction camouflaged as truth. It is a fascinating modern world we live in. Live intelligently and trust human intelligence first.
When you need to know whether a situation is real, boots-on-the-ground due diligence investigations are essential. This will not only reveal the basic information you need to assess, it will also provide real-time analysis of the situation and how it is expected to play out over time and which areas are likely to be significantly impacted. Due diligence yields information across social, economic and political environments in addition to a human analysis of those impacts to business, supply chains, and regulatory environments.
Ensure that you receive key updates based on multiple sources to verify that you are receiving accurate information.
Look into AI technology that can detect fake news and imagery used to spread disinformation.
Train your team to understand how disinformation campaigns work and how to spot AI-generated content.
Use due diligence investigations to further substantiate the information (or disinformation); this will assure you that key areas of risk are correctly identified.
