{"id":5893,"date":"2025-08-31T10:29:42","date_gmt":"2025-08-31T10:29:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cisanewsletter.com\/?p=5893"},"modified":"2026-01-02T06:55:07","modified_gmt":"2026-01-02T06:55:07","slug":"when-art-and-ai-join-forces-to-disinform-and-spread-propaganda","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cisanewsletter.com\/index.php\/when-art-and-ai-join-forces-to-disinform-and-spread-propaganda\/","title":{"rendered":"When Art and AI Join Forces to Disinform and Spread Propaganda"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Art has always been central to the identity, culture, and expression of every civilisation. It encapsulates human history, values, struggles, and triumphs. From the ancient Adinkra symbols of Ghana to the majestic sculptures of Greece and the resonant rhythms of African drums, art\u2014in all its forms\u2014has been both a mirror and a moulder of societies. In Africa, where oral traditions remain integral, music and performance are key instruments of storytelling and intergenerational knowledge transfer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet, the same power that allows art to inspire and unite also renders it vulnerable to manipulation. Throughout history, art has been harnessed for purposes far removed from beauty or truth\u2014namely, for propaganda, disinformation, and even psychological warfare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, the evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) has added a formidable layer of complexity, transforming art into a sophisticated tool for influence and, at times, deception.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Art as a Tool for Social Influence and Control<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Music, in particular, is an emotive and potent form of art. During the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, enslaved Africans used music and drumming as tools for covert communication and resistance, creating a shared cultural language that transcended linguistic and regional differences (Eyerman, 2001). In contemporary African societies, music continues to accompany everyday activities\u2014from communal labour to political mobilisation\u2014serving as a unifying force.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This persuasive power is not lost on political actors. Across the world, governments and movements have used music to stir nationalist fervour or promote ideological narratives. In 1985, the song We Are the World<\/em>, performed by USA for Africa, became a global anthem of solidarity, raising millions for famine relief in Ethiopia and demonstrating music\u2019s potential for humanitarian impact (USA for Africa, 1985).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the very elements that make music so impactful\u2014its emotional resonance, repetitive structure, and cultural familiarity\u2014also make it an effective weapon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In detention centres like Guantanamo Bay and Abu Ghraib, music has been reportedly used as a form of psychological torture, played at extreme volumes to disorient and destabilise prisoners (BBC, 2015). Extremist groups like ISIS have weaponised music in the form of nasheeds<\/em>\u2014Islamic a cappella chants glorifying martyrdom\u2014to indoctrinate recruits and glorify violence (Counter Extremism Project, 2022).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Rwanda, during the 1994 Genocide, the infamous Radio T\u00e9l\u00e9vision Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM) broadcast hate-filled messages and music that dehumanised Tutsis and incited Hutus to violence. Songs with coded lyrics urged listeners to \u201ccut down the tall trees\u201d\u2014a reference to murdering Tutsis (Thompson, 2007).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The exploitation of art for manipulation extends beyond music. In Nazi Germany, visual art and architecture were instrumental in promoting Aryan supremacy. Hitler, a failed artist himself, championed a state-sponsored aesthetic that glorified militarism and racial purity while banning so-called \u201cdegenerate art\u201d (Petropoulos, 1996). Wagner\u2019s operas, admired by Hitler, were imbued with themes of German nationalism and were used to justify anti-Semitic ideology. In concentration camps, prisoners were forced to play music as others were led to their deaths\u2014transforming art into an instrument of psychological terror (USHMM, 2021).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even cinema and theatre have served as vehicles for manipulation. During the Rwandan Genocide, RTLM broadcast not only music but radio dramas designed to stir resentment and encourage violence (Thompson, 2007). Cults such as the People\u2019s Temple under Jim Jones used emotionally charged songs to dismantle individual autonomy and promote groupthink, culminating in the Jonestown massacre (History.com, 2020).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Digital Age: Artificial Intelligence and the Amplification of Propaganda<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, the rise of artificial intelligence has exponentially increased the scale, speed, and subtlety with which disinformation and propaganda can be deployed. AI can create hyper-realistic images, videos (deepfakes), audio recordings, and even music that are indistinguishable from real content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AI-generated deepfakes have already been used to create false videos of political leaders, potentially undermining public trust and sowing confusion during elections (Chesney & Citron, 2019). For instance, AI can fabricate a video of a political figure making inflammatory remarks, sparking public outrage before it is debunked. Similarly, AI voice cloning can mimic a public figure\u2019s voice to spread false messages, as was the case in 2023 when a deepfake audio impersonating President Joe Biden urged voters to abstain from an election (Washington Post, 2023).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond content creation, AI also powers social media bots that can disseminate propaganda on an industrial scale. These bots engage in coordinated campaigns to promote specific narratives, drown out dissent, or amplify polarising content. During conflicts, misinformation and fake visuals generated or amplified by AI can inflame tensions and prolong violence (UNESCO, 2023).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moreover, generative AI models can be trained on biased datasets, reinforcing harmful stereotypes in the content they produce\u2014whether in writing, imagery, or music. The lack of transparency in AI algorithms makes it difficult for users to identify when they are being manipulated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Power and Responsibility of Art and Technology<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Art\u2014whether expressed through music, sculpture, theatre, or film\u2014has the unique power to shape narratives, forge identities, and drive social change. But in the wrong hands, it can be weaponised to manipulate, indoctrinate, and incite violence. The integration of AI into artistic production and distribution has intensified this threat, making it imperative to establish ethical standards and regulatory safeguards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Addressing this issue requires a multi-pronged approach:<\/p>\n\n\n\n