Microsoft has observed an increase in Russian online efforts to influence the U.S. presidential election, intensifying in the last two months.

Russian-affiliated groups are engaging in both covert and overt campaigns, including the creation of fake videos and the spread of disinformation across media platforms.

A group named Star Blizzard is targeting Western think tanks and U.S. political figures, contributing to the disinformation campaign.

While advanced AI has raised concerns, Microsoft reports that simpler digital forgeries like audio manipulations are currently more prevalent and impactful.

Foreign propaganda from China and Iran is also present, using AI tools for activities like creating fake social media profiles and voice cloning to undermine U.S. election confidence.

U.S. agencies, including the FBI, are actively working to counter these threats, and the Treasury Department has sanctioned Russian entities for spreading fake news.

Microsoft has highlighted both anti-Ukraine propaganda from Russia and deceptive social media activity by Chinese operatives aiming to deepen U.S. political divides and weaken election trust.