AI-Driven Disinformation, Information Integrity, and Global Governance

Abstract

AI -enabled disinformation and sophisticated deepfake technologies are eroding trust, undermining democratic institutions, and complicating global governance. Generative AI blurs the distinction between truth and fabrication, which drives polarization and fosters civic disengagement. This form of information warfare and its effects on internet users fragment diplomatic and policy baselines, destabilize cooperation on issues ranging from climate to arms control, and prompt states to adopt restrictive measures that weaken the rules-based order. As trust in governance wanes, compliance with laws and public health measures diminishes, jeopardizing stability. This article identifies the existential threat to the multilateral system and argues that current international responses remain fragmented and inadequate. It proposes five practical policy priorities aimed at bolstering resilience against AI -enabled manipulation and restoring public trust: negotiating international information integrity norms through the United Nations; establishing a mechanism for attribution and early warning; introducing mandatory provenance standards and independent AI auditing for major digital platforms; embedding AI and media literacy within national education systems and public-sector training; and creating coordinated Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference ( FIMI ) governance mechanisms incorporating intelligence sharing, collective attribution, and proportionate sanctions. Together, these measures provide a politically feasible framework for strengthening information integrity while preserving democratic freedoms and multilateral cooperation.