AIs dark side: Deep Fakes are easy to create. GoI needs to invest in tech & talent to counter the new dange – The Times of India Blog

A documentary on the late chef Anthony Bourdain showcases the extraordinary advances of artificial intelligence (AI). Roadrunner uses Deep Fake technology to show Bourdain mouthing words he never uttered. Its a wake-up call on potential side effects of AI. Deep Fakes are a subfield of AI that allow realistic forgeries of both video and audio. The speed of advances in AI have made it possible to create Deep Fakes using freely available software and computer processing power that can be rented. AI is perhaps the most transformative technology under development. Consequently, it also brings about entirely new risks.

Deep Fakes pose a fundamental danger. They can quickly undermine trust, the invisible bond that holds many collectives together. There are many examples of Deep Fakes being used by state actors to influence elections and sow seeds of discord. The US has been a victim of Deep Fakes. Even in India, Deep Fakes are known to have been circulated in some electoral contests. AIs rapid upgrades, coupled with a transition to digital modes of governance, calls for a new level of safeguards on the part of GoI.

One example is the way the US is gearing up to face new challenges. Its been hit repeatedly by ransomware attacks, where hackers introduce malicious software code into networks to prevent victims from accessing their data. This year an oil pipeline operator in the US was hit by ransomware and was forced to pay the hackers. American responses are no longer reactive. The US is investing in talent and technology needed to cripple hackers cyber infrastructure. Such enormous challenges mean GoI must build on its existing technology talent pool. Penny-pinching and red tape shouldnt come in the way. Social and economic costs of unchecked Deep Fakes and ransomware will be far greater.

This piece appeared as an editorial opinion in the print edition of The Times of India.

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AIs dark side: Deep Fakes are easy to create. GoI needs to invest in tech & talent to counter the new dange - The Times of India Blog