If used correctly, deep fakes and AI technology to do good. The wrong hands could create serious damage. As an example, fake footage of high-profile figures have been used for propaganda and blackmail. In the wrong hands this technology could threaten physical safety and cause financial losses.
1. Media mistrust is increasing
With the ability to create realistic images and video sequences which look just like real people, the increase in fakes could result in a decrease of confidence in the visual evidence that they provide that could undermine public opinion and threaten democracy. They could also help create the culture of truth-based relativity and permit authoritarian rulers to cover their sinister actions by hiding behind the cover of falsity.
Deepfakes may also be used to commit fraud or extort identity theft. In particular, AI-generated voice impersonations are increasingly being used by cybercriminals to defraud individuals of their cash. Additionally, it is possible that an individual's appearance or voice may be replicated without permission, which could violate their privacy and expose people to cyberbullying and harassment. The issue has caused serious concern among tech firms and researchers.
2. Cybercrime is on the rise
Criminals are using deep fakes and AI technology to trick companies and to steal information, money or both. A recent study found that the majority of cybersecurity experts were aware of fake audio, video or image material used to launch attacks.
A voice imitation imposter who is cloned can phish your relatives and friends to convince them to hand over data or even money. Similarly, a forged video showing a CEO giving negative remarks could hurt the value of stock in a company.
If it is executed correctly, a fake may harm the image of a candidate or change election results. Even worse, a fake image or video of someone doing something wrong is likely to go viral quickly and erode trust within institutions. Therefore, the phenomenon of deepfake has raised serious concerns among legislators and social media companies about how to safeguard society from this growing threat.
3. Productivity decreases
The accessibility of cloud computing and open AI research tools, paired with abundant data have created an ideal storm which has democratised the creation real-time digital falsification. This is known as deepfake technology.
It's not just politicians who are susceptible to fake videos that show their actions or words that they never said or did: film stars, Twitch streaming, foreign leaders and CEOs aspirants for president, religious figures, and even major company executives.
Despite this, it is likely that AI will be able to bring the same root-andbranch transformation of economies as we witnessed when tractors were replaced by farmers. Technologies for developing methods such as deepfake detectors and authenticity of content, headsets that allow that allow for augmented reality, as well as invisible watermarks are already in progress (FRB08). It's not yet too late to know if these methods can be used to combat fake content.
4. Stress rises
Deepfakes threaten to degrade our ability to grasp the what is happening in the world around us. This includes political deepfakes and could compromise the effectiveness of public debate and decision making.
The creation of deepfakes takes a huge quantity of computational power however, the technology is becoming available. Apps based on deep learning allow manipulation of video using Convolutional Neural Networks, Autoencoders and natural process of processing.
The technology has been used to various degrees that include inserting celebrity faces in pornographic videos, to retaliate against ordinary citizens, and also for manipulating the political system. The kind of abuse that is being used by these companies can cause a lot of anxiety and stress. They also raise questions regarding the future collaborative human-machine efforts. Stress and the sense of being exploited may cause people to abandon the responsible AI research within this sphere which could have major consequences for the society.
5. Reduced Well-being
In the age of deepfakes there is a lot of opportunity for unscrupulous characters to take advantage of this technique to swindle victims and propagate false information. Impersonators of voices, for instance, can make people look exactly like family members to trick unsuspecting relatives to give them cash or other personal information.
Deepfakes, that are nearly impossible to distinguish from genuine ones can also be used to gain punishment and pornography of celebrities. These videos can feature celebrities face-to-face images superimposed over porn actors' bodies. These videos are shared via social networks without consent.
Researchers have explored how to make fakes more visible and how however, there are very many studies on the psychological impact of this technology. This special issue examines the initial research that begins to answer these questions.