The Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) has uncovered a network of YouTube channels spreading pro-Chinese and anti-US sentiment under Operation 'Shadow Play'.

The operation uses AI to produce content, exploits YouTube's recommendation system and has 30 channels with 730,000 subscribers and 120 million views.

This operation is believed to be directed by a Mandarin-speaking entity, potentially with some state-level involvement.

Current legislation does not provide sufficient protection against cross-border influence campaigns, as it mainly focuses on commercial sponsorships, not geopolitical conflicts.

As AI technology evolves, influence operations could potentially generate hyper-realistic content to radicalize individuals.

Without ethical safeguards and oversight for content moderation and recommendation algorithms, social platforms could become major sources of misinformation.

External oversight is essential to ensure social media platforms prioritize the greater good over short-term profits.