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Abstract
Amid the UK’s recent surge in right-wing ideology and shifting sociopolitical forces, Artificial Intelligence (AI) emerges as the most formidable weapon in the digital arsenal. AI allows for the creation of images that augment perceptions of reality by propagating narratives that lack factual basis. Prominent figures of the UK’s far right with large media followings have used AI to turn misinformation into seemingly authentic visuals, amplifying harmful narratives. The recent anti-immigration riots across the UK, following the Southport stabbings, can be viewed as a physical manifestation of this online crusade which extends such figures’ violence beyond the digital realm. Far-right groups justify their violence by framing their actions as a defence of Britain, based on fabricated or distorted realities. This paper contends that AI-driven far-right extremism is a considerable factor in social division and the incitement of violence in the UK. To investigate this issue, data has been compiled to understand the reach of right-wing AI-produced imagery and public attitudes towards it. Additionally, this paper offers an analysis of such content posted to social media, focusing on sample posts collected from X (formerly Twitter). These posts, sourced from the accounts of politicians, news presenters, and a high-profile right-wing organisation, have been analysed using a Critical Discourse Analysis framework to assess their rhetoric, underlying ideologies, and role in social control. This research contributes to the growing body of literature on digital far-right extremism and stresses the need for decisive action against the misuse of AI leading to the infiltration of contemporary political communication.
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