While artificial intelligence (AI) has brought convenience and tremendous progress to humanity, it also presents a threat to our society. The majority of this ‘supposed threat’ primarily comes from its misuse, and a prime example of this is the use of deepfakes to spread wrong information online.
What are deep fakes?
Images or videos known as “deepfakes” feature people whose voices or faces have been digitally altered to appear different or as though they are “saying” something different.
Usually, this technology is used maliciously to spread misleading information or create misconceptions about important topics.
Politicians who fell victim to deepfakes
Labour MP Karl Turner caused a great deal of controversy earlier this year when he shared a picture of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at the Great British Beer Festival getting a sub-standard pint while a mockingly observing woman looked on. The photo gained traction on social media, and immediately, it was found out that the photo was a deepfake.
The original photo showed Sunak pulling a pub-level pint at the event while the woman in the background was wearing a pokerface expression.
Labour’s Keir Starmer has also been duped by a deepfake after an audio recording of him cursing at a worker went viral on social media.
Another instance is when a deepfake video purporting to show Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy ordering his troops to lay down their weapons went viral.
A deepfake of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky calling on his soldiers to lay down their weapons was reportedly uploaded to a hacked Ukrainian news website today, per @Shayan86 pic.twitter.com/tXLrYECGY4
— Mikael Thalen (@MikaelThalen) March 16, 2022
The US president, Joe Biden, has also been a victim of deepfake on several occasions. In one case, Biden appeared to announce that the US would enlist both men and women in the war in Ukraine.
BREAKING: Biden calls for a national draft. Men and women are to be selected to fight in Ukriane.
BIDEN: "The recommended way forward will be to invoke the Selective Service Act, as is my authority as president,"pic.twitter.com/vD6rkBB5Dm
— The Patriot Oasis™ (@ThePatriotOasis) February 27, 2023
Tory MP speaks out against deepfakes ahead of elections
Recently, Tory MP Sir Robert Buckland expressed concerns about artificial intelligence (AI) meddling in the upcoming elections and urged the government to take action.
“The future is here. It’s happening,” Buckland said.
He worries there may be similar disruptions to the 2017 general election, when campaigning was halted less than a week before voting day due to the Manchester Arena bombing.
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