We ask six Taiwanese experts to appraise how the country's press corps handled coverage of its presidential and legislative elections in January.

Since ChatGPT was unveiled to the world just over two years ago, prompting what some have called an “artificial intelligence revolution,” China has been playing catch-up. But when it comes to applying AI to super-fuel the media control and propaganda objectives of the government, both at home and overseas, China may be ahead of the game — even if the results so far are mixed.

For millions of Taiwanese people, this weekend’s presidential and parliamentary elections were an example of a vibrant democracy at work, despite the ire in Beijing that Lai Ching-te – also known as William Lai – had won an unprecedented third term in power for the pro-sovereignty Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

As Taiwan's election nears, China has released a propaganda piece on President Tsai Ing-wen that is being spread across multiple social media platforms in an apparent attempt to interfere in the election.

This time, the efforts are subtler, focusing on magnifying existing anxieties, such as government corruption and shortages of eggs, power and labor.

“What they want to amplify are real issues in Taiwan,” said Austin Wang, an assistant professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, who studies disinformation in the U.S. and Taiwan. “Their strategy has become more skilled and more long-term.”

The issue of identity – and Taiwan’s relationship with China – has been one of the most significant political divisions on the island, and surveys show it was closely linked to voting patterns in previous elections.

From pineapples to petrochemicals, Beijing uses trade to influence opinion, but analysts say it has little impact.