News/Deepfakes
New AI apps are showing deepfake videos of people kissing without consent
Meta and TikTok have been displaying thousands of advertisements for AI applications that generate synthetic videos of people kissing without consent, raising serious ethical concerns about the normalization of deepfake technology. Current situation: Social media platforms have been running numerous advertisements for AI apps that can create artificial videos of any two people kissing, based solely on uploaded photos. Meta has shown over 2,500 ads across Instagram and Facebook, with approximately 1,000 currently active TikTok has displayed around 1,000 ads to millions of European users Many ads feature celebrities like Scarlett Johansson and Emma Watson, while others promote the ability...
read Jan 15, 2025French woman scammed nearly $1M by deepfake Brad Pitt faces ridicule online
A French interior designer lost €830,000 in a sophisticated online scam perpetrated by fraudsters impersonating actor Brad Pitt, leading to widespread mockery and subsequent removal of a TV program about her experience. The scam's evolution: What began as an Instagram connection in February 2023 escalated into an elaborate scheme involving multiple layers of deception and manipulation. The scammers initially contacted the victim, identified as Anne, through a fake account pretending to be Brad Pitt's mother The fraudsters used AI-generated photos of Pitt in hospital beds and fake news reports to maintain the illusion of authenticity The scheme included requests for...
read Jan 14, 2025How AI deepfakes convinced the world that the Hollywood sign burned down
The recent Los Angeles wildfires sparked widespread misinformation when AI-generated images falsely depicted the Hollywood sign burning down, highlighting the growing challenge of distinguishing real from artificial content during crisis situations. Current situation; Los Angeles County is battling devastating wildfires that have claimed ten lives, destroyed 10,000 structures, and forced over 130,000 residents to evacuate. The Pacific Palisades neighborhood has suffered extensive damage A suspected arsonist, allegedly armed with a flamethrower, was arrested in connection with the Kenneth fire Official fire incident maps from CAL FIRE confirm the Hollywood sign remains unaffected by the blazes Viral misinformation spread; AI-generated images...
read Jan 3, 2025AI-powered scams are on the rise — so is the tech that’s fighting back
The improving effectiveness of AI-powered scams has led to a significant increase in romance fraud, with UK banking customers losing £6.8 million in the first half of 2024 alone. Current threat landscape: AI-powered romance scams have seen a 27% increase compared to the previous year, with fraudsters leveraging advanced technology to create more sophisticated schemes. A Santander survey revealed that 29% of people would provide financial assistance to a romantic partner known for less than six months Nearly two-thirds (65%) believe they would not fall victim to scams, despite the rising fraud statistics Scammers are utilizing natural language processing tools...
read Jan 1, 2025US sanctions Iran and Russia for deepfakes, AI-powered election interference
Microsoft has identified Iranian-backed hackers manipulating Americans through AI-generated fake news sites, primarily targeting those susceptible to election boycott messaging based on candidates' Israel support. Key Details of Sanctions: The U.S. Treasury and State Departments have imposed sanctions on specific Iranian and Russian entities for attempting to interfere in the 2024 election through deepfakes and influence campaigns. The sanctions target Iran's Cognitive Design Production Center (CDPC), a unit of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Moscow-based Center for Geopolitical Expertise (CGE), affiliated with Russian intelligence (GRU), and its director Valery Mikhaylovich Korovin also face sanctions The measures prohibit U.S. persons from...
read Dec 20, 2024AI-made Lil Wayne diss track sparks online frenzy
The intersection of artificial intelligence and hip-hop culture has created new challenges for artists and fans alike, as AI-generated content begins to blur the lines between authentic and artificial music. The latest controversy: A fabricated rap feud between Lil Wayne and Kendrick Lamar has gained traction online, fueled by AI-generated diss tracks and speculation about Super Bowl performance selections. Rumors began circulating after the NFL chose Kendrick Lamar over New Orleans native Lil Wayne for the upcoming Super Bowl halftime show The situation was complicated by Lil Wayne's loyalty to Drake, who has a history of tension with Lamar AI-generated...
read Dec 15, 2024States are cracking down on AI-generated sexual images of minors
Legislative momentum: States are rapidly moving to close legal loopholes around AI-generated sexual content that depicts minors, with 18 states passing new laws in 2024 compared to just two in 2023. Deepfakes, which use artificial intelligence to create seemingly authentic but fake photos, videos, or audio recordings, have created new challenges for existing child protection laws Traditional laws against child sexual abuse material (CSAM) often don't explicitly address AI-generated content, making prosecution more difficult The Internet Watch Foundation reported that sexual deepfakes depicting minors more than doubled to 5,547 images on one dark web forum between September and March State-level...
read Dec 11, 2024Rapper 50 Cent shares fake AI video of Jay-Z and Diddy being arrested
There's new controversy in the hip-hop community as rapper 50 Cent uses artificial intelligence to mock fellow artists facing serious legal challenges. Latest developments: Rapper 50 Cent (Curtis Jackson) has shared an AI-generated video depicting Jay-Z and Diddy being arrested, amid serious legal allegations against both music moguls. The artificial intelligence video shows both men in tuxedos being arrested at a party and transported to jail while holding wine glasses Jackson captioned the post with a joke about potential retaliation: "I want to post this but I'm afraid I'm gonna get shot" Social media reactions were mixed, with some followers...
read Dec 7, 2024Your email inbox is the next AI vs AI battleground
There's now an arms race between AI-powered cyber attacks and the defensive AI systems designed to thwart them, and it's being waged in your email. The growing AI threat: Generative AI has emerged as a powerful tool for cybercriminals, with 70% of businesses identifying AI-driven fraud as their second most significant security challenge. Deepfake fraud has affected nearly half of global businesses in the past year AI-powered phishing emails pose a particularly dangerous threat due to their ability to mass-produce highly convincing deceptive messages Traditional security measures are struggling to keep pace with increasingly sophisticated AI-generated attacks Current defensive capabilities:...
read Dec 7, 2024How to protect your family from AI voice clones claiming to be you
The rise of AI-powered voice cloning has prompted new security recommendations from law enforcement to protect against increasingly sophisticated scam attempts targeting families. Key development: The FBI has issued official guidance recommending families establish secret passwords to verify identity during suspicious calls, particularly those claiming to be emergency situations involving loved ones. The recommendation comes through an official public service announcement (I-120324-PSA) released on Tuesday The FBI suggests creating unique, private phrases that family members can use to authenticate each other's identity Voice verification has become necessary as criminals deploy AI technology to create convincing voice clones for fraudulent purposes...
read Dec 6, 2024Mariah Carey says, no, her Spotify appearance wasn’t a deepfake
Artificial intelligence enters the spotlight once again as pop superstar Mariah Carey addresses viral speculation about her recent Spotify Wrapped thank-you message to fans. The controversy unfolds: A seemingly routine holiday message from Mariah Carey to her Spotify listeners sparked unexpected debate across social media platforms. The 55-year-old singer recorded a personalized message thanking fans as part of Spotify's year-end Wrapped campaign Viewers on X (formerly Twitter) began speculating that the footage was generated by artificial intelligence The video featured Carey in holiday attire with red lipstick, thanking supporters and promoting the 30th anniversary of her "Merry Christmas" album Carey's...
read Dec 5, 2024YouTube launches AI tools to detect voice and face deepfakes
The rise of AI-generated deepfake content has prompted YouTube to develop new detection tools aimed at protecting creators from unauthorized voice and facial impersonations. Key developments: YouTube announced two separate deepfake detection tools that will help creators identify and remove AI-generated content that mimics their likeness without permission. The first tool focuses on detecting AI-generated singing voices and will be integrated into YouTube's existing Content ID system A second tool will help public figures track and flag AI-generated videos featuring unauthorized use of their faces Neither tool has a confirmed release date yet Implementation and limitations: The detection system appears...
read Dec 5, 2024AI drama unfolds over Minnesota’s new anti-deepfake law
The legal battle over Minnesota's anti-deepfake legislation has taken an unexpected turn due to artificial intelligence-generated content being used in court documents. Key development: Minnesota's defense of its anti-deepfake law faces scrutiny after the discovery that expert testimony supporting the law was partially generated using ChatGPT, an AI language model. Stanford misinformation expert Jeff Hancock acknowledged using ChatGPT to help write his declaration supporting the law The AI tool generated incorrect citations within the legal document Opponents of the law have filed a motion requesting the withdrawal of the ChatGPT-assisted declaration Legal implications: The controversy highlights the complex intersection of...
read Dec 5, 2024US Defense Department invests millions in deepfake detection tech
The U.S. Department of Defense has taken a significant step toward combating AI-generated deceptive content by investing $2.4 million in deepfake detection technology from Hive AI, marking a crucial development in the ongoing battle against digital misinformation. The investment details: The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) has awarded its first contract of this kind to Hive AI, spanning a two-year period to develop and implement advanced detection capabilities. The contract aims to detect AI-generated video, image, and audio content Hive AI was selected from a pool of 36 competing companies The technology will be deployed offline and on DOD devices to...
read Nov 25, 2024AI-generated voices, cybersecurity and a new era of vigilance
The rapid advancement of AI-powered speech synthesis technology has created increasingly realistic artificial voices that can convincingly mimic human speech patterns, raising questions about voice authentication and security in our digital world. Current capabilities: AI voice technology has evolved to produce remarkably human-like speech, complete with accents, emotions, and natural conversational elements. ChatGPT's voice function can now respond in 50 languages, convey empathy through tone variations, and even pick up non-verbal cues like sighs Voice cloning technology can replicate specific individuals' voices, as demonstrated with the late broadcaster Sir Michael Parkinson's AI-generated podcast series These systems can make phone calls,...
read Nov 24, 2024The most reliable tools to detect deepfakes and other AI-generated content
The rapid proliferation of AI-generated content since ChatGPT's launch has sparked both innovation and concern, leading to the development of various detection tools aimed at distinguishing between human and machine-created content. The evolving landscape of synthetic content: The rise of AI-generated text, images, and audio has created both beneficial applications and potential threats to information integrity. While AI content can streamline routine tasks and creative workflows, it also poses risks when used for deliberate misinformation The World Economic Forum has identified AI misinformation as the primary cybersecurity threat to society, particularly concerning upcoming elections A distinction exists between general "fake...
read Nov 24, 2024Stanford professor accused of using fake AI citations in deepfake debate
The growing prevalence of artificial intelligence in academic and legal contexts has led to another high-profile case of potentially AI-generated false citations, this time involving a Stanford professor's legal argument about election-related deepfakes. Core allegations: Stanford professor Jeff Hancock, a prominent misinformation researcher, faces accusations of using AI-hallucinated citations in his legal argument supporting Minnesota's proposed anti-deepfake election law. Multiple journalists and legal scholars have been unable to verify key studies cited in Hancock's document, including one titled "Deepfakes and the Illusion of Authenticity: Cognitive Processes Behind Misinformation Acceptance" The situation has raised concerns about the reliability of Hancock's entire...
read Nov 21, 2024Anti-deepfake law may have been written by AI
Minnesota's anti-deepfake election law faces scrutiny as a federal lawsuit uncovers potential AI-generated content in a legal affidavit meant to defend the legislation, raising questions about the reliability of expert testimony and the ironies of AI involvement in anti-AI legislation. Key developments: The controversy centers on an affidavit submitted by Stanford Social Media Lab founding director Jeff Hancock in support of Minnesota's law regulating deepfake technology in elections. The affidavit cites multiple academic studies that appear to be non-existent, including a purported 2023 study in the Journal of Information Technology & Politics These phantom citations show characteristics of AI hallucinations,...
read Nov 20, 2024State Department launches task force to advance AI content authentication
The United States government has launched a new interagency task force aimed at promoting transparency in digital content authentication globally, marking a significant step in addressing the challenges posed by AI-generated and manipulated media. Core mission and leadership: The Department of State will lead an interagency effort to help people identify when and how digital content has been altered or created using artificial intelligence technologies. The task force will focus on videos, images, and audio content that may have been manipulated or generated by AI tools The initiative aims to establish clear methods for determining content authenticity and provenance International...
read Nov 18, 2024AI-powered robocalls surge ahead of the 2024 election
The rise of AI-powered political robocalls and robotexts presents a growing challenge to electoral integrity and telecommunications security in the United States, with recent incidents highlighting the sophisticated nature of these threats. Current landscape: Political robocall traffic has seen a significant uptick in the lead-up to the 2024 US Presidential Election, with AI-generated deepfakes emerging as a particular concern. The first two weeks of October 2024 witnessed a surge in political robocall activity across the United States During the New Hampshire primary, deepfake audio calls mimicking President Biden demonstrated the tangible threat of AI-powered disinformation Public polling shows 70% of...
read Nov 18, 2024David Attenborough disgusted by unauthorized AI voice clone in documentary
The rise of AI voice cloning technology has reached a concerning milestone with the unauthorized replication of renowned naturalist Sir David Attenborough's voice, highlighting growing concerns about digital impersonation and truth in media. Initial Discovery: The BBC recently uncovered an AI-generated clone of David Attenborough's voice promoting a documentary series about Asia, demonstrating the sophisticated capabilities of current voice synthesis technology. The broadcaster's researchers found the AI-generated clip online, which was played alongside a genuine recording of Attenborough BBC host Kasia Madera noted that the two recordings were nearly indistinguishable, stating she "wouldn't know if I didn't know" Attenborough's Response:...
read Nov 18, 2024Parents sue school over delayed reporting of non-consensual AI nudes
Artificial intelligence technology being used to create non-consensual explicit images has caused major disruption at a Pennsylvania private school, highlighting growing concerns about AI's misuse in educational settings. The incident: A student at Lancaster Country Day School created sexually explicit AI-generated images of approximately 50 female classmates, leading to school closure and leadership resignations. The inappropriate content was first reported to Head of School Matt Micciche in November 2023, but no immediate action was taken Police became involved after receiving a tip in mid-2024 Classes were temporarily suspended, with over half the student body participating in a walkout to protest...
read Nov 16, 2024AI likely impacted the 2024 election, though not in the ways many expected
The 2024 U.S. election marked a significant shift in how artificial intelligence influenced political discourse, with AI-generated content serving more as a tool for emotional messaging than direct disinformation. The evolving landscape of AI in politics: The 2024 election cycle witnessed widespread use of AI-generated imagery and videos, but not in the ways many experts had initially feared. Rather than creating convincing deepfakes to deceive voters, AI was primarily used to create obvious satirical content and political propaganda Notable examples included images of Donald Trump with Superman-like features and Kamala Harris in symbolic scenarios with communist imagery The technology became...
read Nov 14, 2024Pennsylvania parents target school district over AI deepfakes
The emergence of AI-generated explicit images has created a crisis at Lancaster Country Day School in Pennsylvania, where administrators face serious allegations of mishandling incidents involving female students. Initial incident and response: A Safe2Say Something tip in November 2023 alerted school officials to AI-generated nude images of female students, but the administration allegedly failed to take appropriate action. Nearly 50 female students were reportedly victimized through the creation of AI-generated nude images The school's Head, Matt Micciche, allegedly failed to report the incident to law enforcement despite being a mandated reporter A second incident reported in May 2024 only reached...
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