In the world of digital security, the specter of manipulated images, videos, and audio clips of real people going mainstream has become a growing concern. The potential for the widespread use of AI-powered disinformation poses a significant threat in the era of deepfakes.
As the 2024 election season approaches, with more than two billion people expected to head to local polling stations, concerns about the impact of disinformation and AI-powered trickery on voters are on the rise. With major elections scheduled to take place in numerous countries, including the US, UK, and India, the potential to influence political landscapes and geopolitics for years to come is significant. In fact, misinformation and disinformation are ranked by the World Economic Forum as the number one global risk of the next two years, highlighting the severity of the issue.
The rise of deepfake technology has democratized the ability of malicious actors, cybercriminals, and state actors to launch convincing disinformation campaigns on a large scale. The availability of tools like ChatGPT and generative AI (GenAI) has made it possible for a much broader range of individuals to engage in the creation of disinformation campaigns driven by deepfake technology. This technology makes it easier for malicious actors to manipulate individuals and damage economies, leading to potential societal fractures.
In the context of an election, deepfakes could be used to erode voter trust in a particular candidate, influencing the outcome of the election. Rogue states may seek to undermine faith in the democratic process as a whole, creating challenges for the legitimate governance of elected officials. With the increasing difficulty of distinguishing deepfakes from real content, the potential for democratic disaster looms large.
Recent events, such as the dissemination of a deepfake audio of US President Joe Biden to discourage voter turnout, serve as a stark example of the potential impact of deepfakes on voter sentiment. The spread of such disinformation campaigns could have a significant impact in closely contested elections, potentially deciding the outcome of the election.
Tech firms, such as YouTube and Facebook, have been criticized for their slow response to election manipulation attempts using deepfake technology. While measures are being implemented, such as cryptographic watermarking technology, concerns remain that the response to the threat will be too little, too late as election fever grips the globe. The spread of disinformation through closed networks like WhatsApp groups or robocalls makes it difficult to track and debunk fake audio or video swiftly.
As the world grapples with the rise of deepfakes and AI-powered disinformation, the threat to the democratic process looms large. The potential for widespread manipulation of voter sentiment through fabricated content is a cause for concern, as the impact of falsehoods can often outweigh the truth. In the age of social media and AI-powered disinformation, the consequences of misinformation and deepfakes on the political landscape are a cause for mounting concern.