AI-generated personas spread pro-China-Russia propaganda on TikTok
Journalists and researchers discovered AI-generated personas impersonating Russian women on TikTok promoting pro-China and pro-Russia political messages while selling commercial products, in what appears to be a coordinated campaign leveraging synthetic media and patriotic sentiment.
What happened
A joint investigation by Voice of America and analytics firm Doublethink Lab uncovered several TikTok accounts featuring AI-generated videos of Russian women that emerged around July and August 2024. The accounts promoted pro-China-Russia content while also selling products such as snacks, nutritional supplements and drinks.
One persona called Alina, claiming to be a Russian living in Singapore, promoted 'high-quality Russian and Chinese products' while speaking in near-fluent Mandarin about topics including 'Americans are not worried about wars, shootings or homelessness' but about 'the puzzling absence of any issues with China.' The same AI-generated image was used across multiple accounts under different names including Lisa.
Reported impact
The videos leveraged patriotic sentiment to bolster China-Russia ties and generate sales revenue. One account discussed assassination attempts against Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, suggesting political rivalry is fueling violence in the U.S.
Index analysis
The use of Russian AI-generated figures had previously been limited to Chinese social media platforms like Douyin and Xiaohongshu targeting domestic audiences. The TikTok accounts represent an expansion of this tactic to reach audiences beyond China through platforms operated from Singapore.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.