Taiwan Intelligence Warns of Chinese AI Election Interference

The National Security Bureau of Taiwan warned that China is intensifying cyberattacks and cognitive warfare to interfere in the nine-in-one elections scheduled for November 28. The agency reported that Beijing is utilizing artificial intelligence to increase hacking efficiency and generate fake polls, reports, and social media content designed to exploit domestic divisions over energy, food safety, and national defense.

Between January and September 2026, suspicious social media accounts produced 2.5 million posts containing disputed information, marking a 48 percent increase over the previous year. These operations primarily utilized Facebook and Threads, employing AI-generated videos, content farms, and online troll armies to manipulate voter preferences for city mayors and county magistrates.

Simultaneously, the Government Service Network recorded 185.6 million cyberattacks in July alone, averaging 2.58 million daily attacks. These strikes targeted academic institutions, telecommunications networks, and defense industry supply chains to disrupt governance and steal sensitive technologies. The National Security Bureau of Taiwan characterized these peaks in activity as potential intelligence-gathering and harassment preparation for the upcoming elections. The Taiwan Affairs Office did not immediately respond to requests for comment, though Beijing has previously denied interfering in Taiwanese elections.