Microsoft's President Warns of Rising Threats to U.S. Elections in the Final Hours

As the U.S. election nears its climax, Microsoft President Brad Smith raised a serious alarm. He shared that foreign meddling could skyrocket in the final two days before the vote, creating a tense and fragile moment for the country. "The most dangerous time will likely be the 48 hours right before the election," Smith warned during his testimony to the Senate Intelligence Committee.

He explained that this concern stems from past incidents, like the Slovakian election, where fake audio of a leading candidate spread just days before the vote, causing chaos. Smith wasn’t alone in his concern—other tech leaders also shared their experiences of how foreign actors have already been meddling in the current U.S. election, pushing fake videos and false posts designed to confuse and divide voters.

Microsoft's President Warns of Rising Threats to U.S. Elections in the Final Hours

In one particularly unsettling example, Microsoft found a video created by a Russian group using artificial intelligence to make it seem like Vice President Kamala Harris said something she never did. It’s not just Harris who's been targeted—groups from Russia, China, and Iran have been spreading false stories about both Harris and Donald Trump’s campaigns, attempting to manipulate public opinion in real-time.

During the hearing, other tech giants joined Smith. Kent Walker, Google’s legal chief, pointed out that these foreign groups are now experimenting with advanced AI technology to ramp up their attacks. AI is helping create fake websites, misleading articles, and even social media posts that are designed to deceive. Walker noted that AI is being used to make cyber-attacks smarter, from creating spear-phishing emails to probing security weaknesses.

This testimony followed a recent Microsoft report that highlighted how Russia's election interference tactics have evolved, now focusing on smearing Harris through doctored videos. Meta, the parent company of Facebook, also made headlines by banning Russia Today, a state-run media outlet, for its role in foreign interference.

But while these threats are growing, communication between the Biden administration and tech companies had been stalled for nearly a year, waiting for the outcome of a major court case. In June, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the government could work more closely with social media platforms to counter misinformation, a decision that came just in time for this heated election season.

Meanwhile, some frustration was voiced by Senator Mark Warner, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee. He noted that Elon Musk’s X Corp. (formerly Twitter) didn’t send anyone to testify, despite the critical nature of the hearing.

This mounting tension around election interference is a sobering reminder of how vulnerable the final hours of an election can be. The digital battlefield is real, and foreign actors are taking full advantage of these closing moments to sway voters in dangerous and manipulative ways.