TLDR: Canada’s Communications Security Establishment (CSE) has issued a stark warning that hostile state-affiliated actors, particularly from China, Russia, and Iran, are highly likely to leverage artificial intelligence, especially generative AI, to interfere in the upcoming 2025 federal elections. The threats include sophisticated disinformation campaigns, deepfakes, social engineering, and hack-and-leak operations targeting politicians and the public. While acknowledging the significant and evolving risks, the CSE assesses it is ‘very unlikely’ that these AI-enabled activities will fundamentally compromise the integrity of Canada’s democratic process.
OTTAWA – The Communications Security Establishment (CSE), Canada’s signals intelligence and cybersecurity agency, has released a critical update to its report on cyber threats to Canada’s democratic process, highlighting the escalating danger posed by artificial intelligence in the lead-up to the 2025 federal election. The report, published in March 2025, indicates that hostile foreign actors are increasingly employing AI tools to sow division and distrust among Canadians and influence electoral outcomes.
The CSE specifically identifies China, Russia, and Iran as the primary state-sponsored actors ‘very likely’ to use AI to interfere with Canada’s democratic process. These nations are expected to deploy AI-powered disinformation campaigns, conduct hack-and-leak operations, and enhance cyber espionage efforts. The agency notes that AI technologies have become more powerful, accessible, and affordable over the past two years, making them potent tools for malicious activities.
Generative AI, the technology behind tools like ChatGPT, is a particular concern. It can be used to create highly convincing fake text, images, and videos (deepfakes) to spread false information and harass public figures. The report states that hostile actors are ‘most likely to use generative AI as a means of creating and spreading disinformation, designed to sow division among Canadians and push narratives conducive to the interests of foreign states.’ The CSE has already observed 102 reported cases of generative AI being used to interfere with or influence 41 elections globally between 2023 and 2024, involving disinformation creation, active online spread, and harassment of politicians.
Canadian politicians and political parties are deemed to be at a ‘heightened risk’ of being targeted, particularly through sophisticated phishing attempts. Foreign actors are ‘almost certainly attempting to acquire’ politically relevant data held by parties and commercial data brokers, which can then be ‘weaponized’ for targeted influence and espionage campaigns. The widespread theft of ‘billions of data points on democratic politicians, public figures, and citizens around the world’ by countries like China could significantly boost future interference efforts, according to the report.
Despite these significant threats, the CSE offers a measure of reassurance, assessing that it is ‘very unlikely that AI-enabled activities will fundamentally undermine the integrity of Canada’s next general election.’ This assessment is based on the resilience of Canada’s democratic institutions and the collective efforts of government officials, cybersecurity experts, political parties, and citizens. The CSE emphasizes its readiness to conduct foreign cyber operations to defend the country against hostile threats if necessary, and encourages Canadians to critically evaluate information encountered online.
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The report also highlights the use of AI to create deepfake pornography targeting politicians and public figures, predominantly women and 2SLGBTQI+ individuals, noting that such ‘AI-enabled personal attacks will almost certainly increase given the wide availability of these models.’ The CSE and its Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (Cyber Centre) continue to work closely with federal partners to safeguard democratic processes and provide advice through the Get Cyber Safe campaign.
