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Widespread use of persuasion tools

A Taxonomy of Systemic Risks from General-Purpose AI

Uuk et al. (2025)

Sub-category

Risk Domain

4.1Disinformation, surveillance, and influence at scale

Using AI systems to conduct large-scale disinformation campaigns, malicious surveillance, or targeted and sophisticated automated censorship and propaganda, with the aim of manipulating political processes, public opinion, and behavior.

"Widespread use of AI-powered persuasion tools could lead to systemic harm"(p. 14)

Entity: Who or what caused the harm

Human

Due to a decision or action made by humans

AI system

Due to a decision or action made by an AI system

Other

Due to some other reason or is ambiguous

Intent: Whether the harm was intentional or accidental

Intentional

Due to an expected outcome from pursuing a goal

Unintentional

Due to an unexpected outcome from pursuing a goal

Other

Without clearly specifying the intentionality

Timing: Whether the risk is pre- or post-deployment

Pre-deployment

Occurring before the AI is deployed

Post-deployment

Occurring after the AI model has been trained and deployed

Other

Without a clearly specified time of occurrence

Other risks from Uuk et al. (2025) (60)

Control

7.1 AI pursuing its own goals in conflict with human goals or values

AI systemIntentionalPost-deployment

Democracy

6.0 Socioeconomic & Environmental

OtherOtherOther

Discrimination

1.1 Unfair discrimination and misrepresentation

OtherOtherPost-deployment

Economy

6.2 Increased inequality and decline in employment quality

OtherOtherPost-deployment

Environment

6.6 Environmental harm

AI systemUnintentionalPost-deployment

Governance

6.5 Governance failure

AI systemUnintentionalPost-deployment

View all 60 risks from this paper →