The rapid progress of generative AI has an impact on the likelihood of falling for Deepfake AI-generated misinformation. Fake images, videos, and AI-generated audio make it harder than ever to tell real content from made-up stuff. The World Economic Forum even put out a warning: AI-powered lies could mess up elections around the world in the next few years. This means people need to be more careful about spotting fake content.
This article looks at the best ways to avoid AI-generated misinformation. It explains how generative AI works and gives useful tips to identify made-up content.
Deepfake AI-Created Misleading Information Explained
Content made by AI to fool or mislead people is called AI-generated misinformation. While misinformation might be false by accident, disinformation aims to sway opinions on purpose. As generative AI has grown in making images, changing videos, and copying voices, people who aren’t tech experts can now start huge campaigns to spread false info.
In the past few years, tools like OpenAI’s DALL-E and Google’s Imagen have caused a big change in how content is made. These tools make it easy to create lifelike images or videos just by typing in simple words. , people can also use these new technologies to spread lies.
Spotting AI-Created Pictures
The photo of Pope Francis in a puffy jacket stands out as one of the most well-known AI-made images that spread online. This picture came from diffusion models, an AI type that lets people make images from written instructions. As more of these fake pictures pop up, it’s crucial to learn how to spot them.
Here are five common mistakes to look for in AI-created images:
- Sociocultural Oddities: The scene might be fake if it shows behavior or clothing that doesn’t fit the culture or is uncommon.
- Body Part Weirdness: Keep an eye out for strange body parts like shaped hands eyes that don’t match, or body parts that blend together.
- Artistic Quirks: Does the picture look too flawless or unreal? Watch out for strange backgrounds or weird lighting.
- Out-of-Place Objects: See if things in the image don’t belong, like buttons in odd spots or props that don’t make sense.
- Breaking the Laws of Physics: Shadows that don’t line up or mirror reflections that don’t match the scene can point to AI trickery.
Identifying AI-Generated Video Deepfakes
Deepfake AI-Generated videos, or “deepfakes,” are increasingly being used to manipulate public perception. These deepfakes use techniques such as generative adversarial networks (GANs) to superimpose one person’s face onto another’s body, or even clone voices to align with realistic lip movements. The technology has been widely misused, from creating fake political statements to non-consensual celebrity pornography.
How can you detect an AI-generated deepfake video? Below are six practical tips:
- Mouth and Lip Movements: Does the audio match the lip movement perfectly, or are there moments of misalignment?
- Anatomical Glitches: Watch for unnatural facial movements or body distortions.
- Lighting Issues: Look for inconsistent lighting, particularly around the eyes and glasses.
- Facial Hair: Facial hair can appear strange or move unnaturally.
- Blinking Patterns: Too much or too little blinking can be a giveaway.
- Odd Movements: AI-generated bodies often move in bizarre, unnatural ways.
Companies like Deeptrace have developed solutions to help spot deepfake videos, providing tools to safeguard against manipulated media [link to Deeptrace tools].
Detecting AI-Generated Bots on Social Media
Bots have been a growing presence on social media platforms, but AI has made them more sophisticated. Bots using generative AI can now churn out grammatically correct, tailored content, making it harder for people to detect them.
Here are five strategies to help you identify an aAI bot:
- Excessive Emojis and Hashtags: Bots tend to overuse emojis and hashtags to simulate engagement.
- Uncommon Phrasing: Watch for unusual word choices or phrasing that seems unnatural.
- Repetition: AI bots often repeat similar forms or phrases.
- Question Response: Ask specific questions that a bot may struggle to answer.
- Unverified Accounts: Assume the worst if an account lacks personal verification or clear identity.
The team at Botometer offers a helpful tool to analyze whether a Twitter account is potentially automated [link to Botometer].
Audio Cloning and AI-Generated Speech
Voice cloning technologies like Respeecher and Descript have made it easier to mimic voices almost perfectly. These tools have been used to create audio deepfakes of political figures, celebrities, and even regular individuals for scams and misinformation.
Detecting audio deepfakes can be tough, but here are four tips to help:
- Cross-Reference: Compare the suspect audio with known, verified audio from the same individual.
- Awkward Silences: Long pauses in speech during a phone call or voicemail may suggest AI manipulation.
- Robotic Speech Patterns: AI-generated speech may sound too verbose or include strange pauses.
- Public Figures: Verify statements by checking against publicly available speeches or records.
- Organizations like SocialProof Security are working to raise awareness of audio deepfakes and offer cybersecurity solutions to detect such scams [link to SocialProof Security].
The Future of AI-Generated Content: A Call for Vigilance
AI-generated disinformation is advancing quickly, and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to differentiate between fake and real content. While tools to detect AI-generated content continue to improve, the onus shouldn’t only be on individuals. Experts like Hany Farid emphasize the need for government regulators to hold tech companies accountable for the widespread use of these tools.
As AI evolves, it’s crucial to stay informed and vigilant. By understanding the telltale signs of AI-generated content, you can better protect yourself from disinformation in the digital age.
