The mere idea of AI-synthesized media is already making people stop believing that real things are real, reports Karen Hao.
Fear and suspicion: In late 2018, the people of Gabon hadn’t seen their president, Ali Bongo, in public for months. Some suspected he was ill, or even dead, and the government covered it up. To stop the speculation, the government said he’d had a stroke, then released a video of him delivering a New Year’s address.
Unintended consequences: Rather than assuaging tensions however, the video did precisely the opposite. Some thought Bongo looked off in the footage and immediately suspected it was a deepfake. A week later, the military launched an unsuccessful coup, citing the video as part of the motivation.
A surprise: A new report says there are no known instances in which deepfakes have been used in disinformation campaigns. What has been more powerful is the knowledge that they could be used that way. What disinformation actors really want is not for you to question more, but for you to question everything. Read the full story here.
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