NATIONAL SECURITY IN THE AGE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: NEW FORMS OF DISINFORMATION AND RISKS FOR POLITICAL SYSTEMS

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to outline the threat vectors that AI generates for national security and political systems, as well as to justify the need to develop new mechanisms of legal regulation and accountability in the context of technological dominance. To achieve the goal, several tasks were solved, including an analysis of the impact of the phenomenon of the double “black box” on the mechanisms of constitutional deterrence; a review of new forms of disinformation; an outline of the risks associated with the use of AI for military purposes and internal control; a justification of the need to prevent the transition to technocratic governance. In preparing the article, general scientific and special methods were used. A systems method was used to study AI as an integrated element of the security architecture. Also, based on the available empirical material, attention was focused on possible scenarios of AI abuse by state and non-state actors of national security and politics. A case study was used to examine the impact of AI tools on the course of elections and the experience of digital transformation. The study finds that AI is significantly increasing the speed and scale of cyberattacks on critical infrastructure. This can lead to physical disruption and destabilization. AI has also become a weapon in information and cognitive warfare, enabling the creation of photo-realistic deepfakes and hyper-personalized narratives, which has a critical impact on public trust. It is emphasized that a significant risk is the transition from democratic accountability to technocratic governance, where decisions are made by opaque algorithms. This may ultimately contribute to the depreciation and neglect of fundamental democratic rights of citizens and societies. It also emphasizes the inherent vulnerabilities of AI systems (data poisoning, adversarial attacks, bias), which are used to compromise political opponents and form distrust of existing political systems and institutions. The practical significance of the article lies in substantiating the need for urgent implementation of regulatory measures aimed at ensuring transparency and human control over critical AI decisions. The experience of Estonia and the WINWIN memorandum emphasize the importance of international cooperation to strengthen cyber resilience. Prospects for further research should be aimed at developing universal protocols for auditing algorithms and creating effective mechanisms for international regulation that will ensure a clear balance between the innovative potential of AI and the need to prevent existential risks to human rights and national security. When introducing AI into various spheres of life, it is necessary to take into account the dynamism and rapidity of technological development, as well as the possibility of its unfair use.