AI-Generated Deepfakes are Heralding the Arrival of the ‘Deep Doubt’ Era

The rise of AI-generated media and its impact on trust: The proliferation of AI-generated content is ushering in an era of “deep doubt,” where the authenticity of digital media is increasingly questioned, and real events can be more easily denied.

• The term “deep doubt” refers to skepticism towards genuine media stemming from the existence and widespread use of generative AI technologies.
• This phenomenon allows individuals to more credibly claim that real events did not occur, suggesting that documentary evidence was fabricated using AI tools.
• The concept of “deep doubt” builds upon the previously coined term “liar’s dividend,” which describes how deepfakes can be weaponized to discredit authentic evidence.

Historical context and evolution: While doubt has long been used as a political weapon, AI-fueled deep doubt represents the latest evolution in tactics aimed at manipulating public opinion and obscuring truth.

• The term “deepfake” originated in 2017, named after a Reddit user who shared AI-generated pornography on the platform.
• Over the past decade, advancements in deep-learning technology have made it increasingly easy to create convincing false or modified media across various formats, including pictures, audio, text, and video.
• This trend is eroding the 20th-century media sensibility, which was partly based on the trust in media production due to its expensive, time-consuming, and skill-intensive nature.

Recent examples and implications: The real-world impact of deep doubt is becoming increasingly apparent, affecting political discourse, legal systems, and our shared understanding of historical events.

• Conspiracy theorists have claimed that President Joe Biden has been replaced by an AI-powered hologram.
• Former President Donald Trump baselessly accused Vice President Kamala Harris of using AI to fake crowd sizes at her rallies.
• Trump also cried “AI” in response to a photo of him with E. Jean Carroll, a writer who successfully sued him for sexual assault, contradicting his claim of never having met her.

Legal considerations: The US legal system is beginning to grapple with the challenges posed by AI-generated content and its potential to cast doubt on genuine evidence.

• In April, a panel of federal judges discussed the potential for AI-generated deepfakes to introduce fake evidence and cast doubt on genuine evidence in court trials.
• The US Judicial Conference’s Advisory Committee on Evidence Rules is considering the challenges of authenticating digital evidence in an era of increasingly sophisticated AI technology.
• While no immediate rule changes were made, the discussion highlights the growing awareness of this issue within the legal community.

Broader implications and future challenges: The era of deep doubt will necessitate a recalibration of how we perceive and verify truth in media.

• Our reliance on others for information about the world will be increasingly challenged as the line between authentic and AI-generated content blurs.
• From photorealistic images to pitch-perfect voice clones, the public’s ability to discern truth in media will need to evolve.
• This shift may have far-reaching consequences for political discourse, legal proceedings, and our collective understanding of historical events.

Navigating the deep doubt era: As AI-generated content becomes more prevalent and sophisticated, society will need to develop new strategies for verifying information and maintaining trust in media.

• Media literacy education may need to be expanded to include skills for identifying AI-generated content.
• Technological solutions, such as digital watermarking or blockchain-based verification systems, could play a role in authenticating genuine content.
• The development of ethical guidelines and regulations surrounding the creation and use of AI-generated media will likely become increasingly important.