Summary
Artificial intelligence has many useful applications, but recent incidents involving deepfakes highlight how the line between reality and fakes is becoming blurred. Here are two incidents involving deepfaked videos and a deepfake song supposedly from Donald Trump.
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There are many great uses for artificial intelligence. I’ve used it to a limited extent to assist with preparation for this show. However, late last month, two incidents of deepfakes generated by AI show how the lines separating fakes from reality are blurring quickly.
For Personal Tech Media, this is Two Minute Tech. I’m Jim Herman.
In one instance of deepfakes, several scam videos have begun appearing on social media, claiming that Elon Musk has created a new advanced cryptocurrency platform. Most of the videos contain faked clips of other celebrities discussing the platform combined with a deepfaked Musk encouraging people to invest.
Musk’s interest in cryptocurrency has been well documented, so it would be no surprise if he did create a platform for crypto investments. This is also not the first time that Musk’s name or image have been used for crypto scams.
But beyond Elon Musk, a different type of deepfake also made waves. The song First Day Out featured an AI generated version of Donald Trump’s voice rapping about his recent indictment and mugshot. In addition to over 3 million views on X, the song rose to number two on the iTunes rap chart and cracked the top 25 overall.
Although this song is humorous, it demonstrates the effect that a deepfake could have in politics. A deepfaked statement from a candidate could go viral much more quickly than the news that it’s a fake would be passed around. In a world where one mistake can kill a campaign, one faked video or audio clip could easily be used to influence an election.