Authenticity is the Word of 2023: A Year in Review
Michael Chertoff, Chairman, Chertoff Group
"Recent news reporting has outlined the increasing number of deep fake videos and audio that are being disseminated. In some instances, these fakes appear to record wartime atrocities that did not occur. In other instances the fakes are designed to embarrass well known figures by appearing to record objectionable or foolish statements.
This pattern raises several profound societal risks. One is that people will make judgements about events and people based on false evidence that appears to be true. This may affect elections, policy decisions, and other important matters. Equally bad is that the increasing prevalence of genuine seeming fakes will lead to a loss of public trust in all media reports, even when true. To combat these increasing dangers, we need a verifiable means to assure people that a video or an audio is in fact real and not altered or fabricated.
Without trust or truth democracy cannot function. Validating real media, therefore, must be a fundamental task for all free societies."
Henry Ajder, Founder, Latent Space
"2023 was the year many politicians had a reckoning about AI and deepfakes. As general awareness exploded and AI tools radically democratised, political uses of deepfakes that we have been anticipating for several years became a reality. In the UK, a viral synthetic voice clip targeting opposition leader Kier Starmer led to many in government worrying how similar attacks could impact the next general election. 2024 will see the most voters going to the polls since records began, in a digital environment saturated with synthetic content. Ensuring transparency around synthetic content and securing authentic media has never been more important."
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As we reflect on 2023, one theme stands out above the rest: Transparency.
In 2023, both lawmakers and industry frontrunners acknowledged the critical need for secure and clear disclosure of digital content creation methods. Truepic, in partnership with others, spearheaded significant innovations aimed at enhancing transparency in digital content, spanning both hardware and software domains. Here's a recap of some standout moments from the year.
The EU strikes a historic agreement on the world's most comprehensive AI regulation.
The European Union set a historic precedent by agreeing on the Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act), a comprehensive regulation for artificial intelligence. This landmark legislation positions the EU as the first governing entity to enact such a law. The AI Act imposes transparency requirements on large AI system developers, including OpenAI and others. It stipulates that systems that create manipulated media must clearly disclose this to users. The regulations won't be effective until 2025. However, the EU will encourage businesses to start adhering to them voluntarily in the interim, although no sanctions will be imposed if they choose not to.
AI-generated influencers flood the internet as social media usage rises.
Numerous experts have studied the impact of social media on mental health, as usage time on platforms spiked among teens. A Gallup survey revealed that the average American teen spends about 4.8 hours each day on social media platforms. U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy raised an alarm about the potential dangers of social media last year. According to the survey, the unregulated usage of AI-generated images and videos could further heighten the risk.
AI infiltrates journalism: Sports Illustrated author unmasked, and a fully AI-powered news network prepares to launch.
Sports Illustrated attributed articles to a fictitious author created by AI, called "Drew Ortiz," the author's headshots were found to be available for purchase on a website specializing in AI-generated images. Another news network fully powered by artificial intelligence is scheduled to go live next year. AI-created reporters provide a 24/7 worldwide viewpoint. Equipped with computer-generated voices and devoid of human sentiment, these reporters can deliver news in any language. News aired on "Channel 1" will come from legacy outlets and commissioned freelance reporters.
The impending elections in Bangladesh are witnessing the impact of AI.
AI-generated content is allegedly used during elections in Bangladesh, marking a growing global trend of political campaigns leveraging Gen AI. Despite increased public pressure on tech platforms to put guardrails on AI-generated content, its use still poses significant challenges. Such tactics have already been used in the US, Argentina, and Venezuela, underscoring the global nature of this issue.
Discussions are underway among U.S. legislators regarding regulations and disclosure requirements for AI-generated content.
As Congress and the Federal Elections Commission deliberate over more extensive regulations in preparation for the 2024 elections, Michigan is taking part in a broader initiative to combat misleading applications of AI and manipulated media through state-specific policies. Upcoming legislation in Michigan will mandate that state and federal-level campaigns explicitly declare if any political advertisements broadcasted in Michigan were AI-generated. Additionally, the law will ban the use of deepfakes within 90 days of an election unless there's a separate disclosure identifying the media as manipulated.
"Authentic" chosen as Merriam-Webster's 2023 word of the year amidst a year dominated by AI.
The term "Authentic" has been chosen as the word of the year for 2023 by Merriam-Webster dictionary. It emerged as one of the most frequently searched words among the half a million entries in the dictionary. This selection comes in a year marked by notable events involving AI. Chat GPT caused upheaval in the academic world, while AI-driven changes led to strikes among Hollywood actors and writers.
