--- title: "US Military Caught Figuring Out How to Use Deepfakes for Psy-Op Campaigns" description: "The US Military's Special Operations Command (SOCOM) is hoping to deploy deepfakes in disinformation campaigns as part of its psy-op efforts." date: "2023-04-04" modified: "2023-04-04" authors: - name: "Maggie Harrison Dupré" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/mharrison" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/us-military-caught-figuring-out-how-to-use-deepfakes-for-psy-op-campaigns" categories: - "Future Society" - "Military" - "Science & Energy" tags: - "deepfakes" - "disinformation" - "the digest" - "US military" --- # US Military Caught Figuring Out How to Use Deepfakes for Psy-Op Campaigns ![The US Military's Special Operations Command (SOCOM) is hoping to deploy deepfakes in disinformation campaigns as part of its psy-op efforts.]() *\Image: Futurism\* ## Do Unto Others The US Military's Special Operations Command (SOCOM) is reportedly hoping to deploy deepfake-laden disinformation campaigns as part of its psy-op efforts, a SOCOM document [leaked to *The Intercept*]() has revealed. The [leaked document]() is an updated SOCOM gadget-slash-weaponry wishlist published on February 15 by the military unit's Directorate of Science and Technology. In it, an addendum describes SOCOM's thirst to get its hands on new "advanced technologies for use in Military Information Support Operations" (MISO) — which, put simply, is the US military's [propaganda and deception department](). Those "advanced technologies" — which would be used to aid "influence operations, digital deception, communication disruption, and disinformation campaigns at the tactical edge and operational levels" — would include unnamed programs with "next-generation capability" to "collect disparate data through... streams such as social media," as well as next-gen "'deepfake' or other similar technology" designed to "generate messages and influence operations." So to recap, the US military wants to use deepfakes, among other next-gen tools, to forward its global influence — or disinformation — campaigns. Let freedom ring! ## Fire With Fire Deepfakes, as demonstrated by the Russia-Ukraine war, can be [effective disinformation tools]() — so effective that the US government has warned the public of the danger of these rapidly improving technologies on [multiple]() [occasions](). And the efficacy of these tools, according to some experts, is exactly why the US military should either abstain from engaging or allow for more transparent regulation and oversight of its disinformation practices. "When it comes to disinformation, the Pentagon should not be fighting fire with fire," Chris Meserole, head of the Brookings Institution's Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technology Initiative, told the *Intercept*. "At a time when digital propaganda is on the rise globally, the US should be doing everything it can to strengthen democracy by building support for shared notions of truth and reality." "Deepfakes do the opposite," Meserole added. "By casting doubt on the credibility of all content and information, whether real or synthetic, they ultimately erode the foundation of democracy itself." "If deepfakes are going to be leveraged for targeted military and intelligence operations," he argued, "then their use needs to be subject to review and oversight." It's a point well made. With the [information ecosystem]() already at risk of [disintegrating]() due to [AI tools and deepfakes]() fooling netizens, human society is moving into a tricky new age of synthetic media. **T**he internet is changing — and we should all be wary. **READ MORE:** [*US SPECIAL FORCES WANT TO USE DEEPFAKES FOR PSY-OPS*]() \[*The Intercept*\] **More on deepfakes:** [*This Deepfake AI Singing Dolly Parton's "Jolene" Is Worryingly Good*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've reported extensively on the rise of AI as a cultural and business force shaping the media industry, and more broadly how those dynamics are changing how we all consume and share information and relate to one another. I'm also fascinated by public health policy and ethics, the role of emerging tech in politics and governance — and the powerful people and forces at those intersections — climate change, and the environment. My investigation on Sports Illustrated's use of AI-generated authors with fictional biographies won a 2024 Mirror Award for "Best Story on Media Coverage of Artificial Intelligence in Journalism and the Media" from Syracuse University's SI Newhouse School, I contributed to Niemen Lab's 2025 Predictions for Journalism series, and I've discussed my work for Futurism during appearances on NPR, CNN, the BBC, the CBC, and more. I grew up in rural Pennsylvania and attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where I played Division I field hockey for the Minutewomen as a midfielder. Since then, I've lived in New Orleans, Louisiana and Manhattan, New York. I spend my free time running, reading, perusing archival fashion, and searching for the world’s best negroni. I also have a debonair tuxedo cat, Westley, who's named after "The Princess Bride." ### Author social links [Bluesky]()