Videos have always been considered powerful pieces of evidence—“seeing is believing,” as the saying goes. But that old truth is now under attack. In recent years, a new type of video called a deepfake has emerged, which uses artificial intelligence to mimic the appearance and sound of an actual video or audio recording, even when the events depicted never happened. These convincing fakes can show public figures making false statements, place someone’s face into another person’s body, or even replicate a person’s voice to deliver messages they never spoke.
While some deepfakes are created for harmless entertainment, others are far more dangerous. They have been used to spread political lies, manipulate financial markets, and even give fake medical advice that could put people’s lives at risk. For example, AI-generated “doctors” have appeared on TikTok dispensing dangerous health guidance, complete with a fabricated backstory and digitally generated faces.
Dispatches From The Front 