Artificial Intelligence is within the midst of an rebellion. As we explore uncharted waters, we face an alarming reality: AI-enabled fake videos and voices threaten our reality perception and trust of digital content. This threat cannot wait; its impacts have already begun having an effect.
Geoffrey Hinton, the pioneer of deep learning at Google, made a striking comparison upon leaving that has stuck with me ever since — likening the rise in fake videos and voices to counterfeiting money, an act that’s punishable with severe penalties in most countries. Hinton’s words echo truer than ever now as we witness AI’s incredible capability to copy, mimic and deform reality.
Governments worldwide consider counterfeiting an act of great theft that threatens trust between business and consumers, undermining our economic systems and social and digital landscapes. If left unchecked, AI-powered fake videos and voices pose an analogous risk of undermining this trust that serves because the cornerstone of society and digital platforms.
At DAISYS.ai, we take great pride in creating AI that respects and upholds human individuality. Our mission is to develop AI voices which don’t impersonate, copy or clone any existing individuals; quite than replacing real human voices entirely with synthetic ones, the goal must be extending existing capacities without overpowering or replicating natural capabilities.
I care deeply about this issue. Our voices are an intimate a part of who we’re — carrying emotions, intentions, quirks and characteristics unique to ourselves — making the thought that somebody could use our essence without consent disconcerting and raising serious ethical concerns concerning voice cloning troubling and alarming.
Misusing AI technology to clone voices and produce fake videos is greater than an invasion of privacy; it’s an assault on our identities, with potentially disastrous repercussions resembling damaging personal reputations or altering public opinion based on falsified information. Such counterfeiting attacks not only our wallets but our sense of truth, trust in one another, and ultimately, society as a complete.
There’s an array of possible misuses for voice cloning technology, from spreading misinformation and shaping public opinion to outright fraud and more. With a lot power at our fingertips comes great responsibility — misuses must not go unchecked!
An alarming incident within the Netherlands underscores this point. An elderly woman was nearly duped into paying funeral costs after receiving an alert that purported to come back from what she thought was her son, involved in an accident that proved fatal. Criminals used artificial intelligence technology to impersonate her son’s voice during a call together with his actual son — just for him to later walk into the room during this call and reveal it’s deceitful nature. This harrowing experience highlights the grave danger of voice cloning; how it may possibly abuse trust and cause significant emotional trauma without proper regulation.
Nobody should turn a blind eye to this growing concern. Just as we’ve laws against counterfeit money, so can we require strong laws against the misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) to create fake videos and voices for evil purposes. This problem transcends technology; it requires collaboration amongst lawmakers, tech corporations and residents as a collective response.
Counterfeit currency devalues itself; similarly, voice cloning and pretend videos devalue human uniqueness. At DAISYS.ai, we imagine each voice must be respected; accordingly we oppose voice cloning while advocating for the responsible use of AI technology.
On the core, technology, including AI, is just a tool — one which might either help us or harm us depending on the way it’s used. As we navigate this brave recent world of AI, it’s critical that we make decisions based on shared values like trust, authenticity and respect for people.
I recognize the duty ahead is daunting, yet remain optimistic. By taking a firm stand against AI misuse, we are able to harness its full potential while upholding shared human values.
Now could be the time to face against counterfeiting of our identities online; digital trust lies at stake and time is running out — let’s not wait until it is simply too late.
Stay tuned for more!
Barnier Geerling
CEO | DAISYS
Voicing the Future Now
www.daisys.ai