#deepfakes

#deepfakes

Amazon is planning to use artificial intelligence to recreate destroyed footage from Orson Welles' 1942 film "The Magnificent Ambersons" - but the late directors' estate is calling bull. In a statement to Variety, a spokesperson for David Reeder, whose Reeder Brand Management handles Welles' estate on behalf of the auteur's daughter Beatrice, said that the family hadn't been informed of the project, which is slated to generate with AI the final 43 minutes of the film.

Vodafone made a commercial starring an AI avatar posing as a real lady. This is interesting because Vodafone is a major global brand and not a fly-by-night TikTok company using a ridiculous deepfake of Jackson Galaxy to sell cat toys. The tells in the commercial are obvious and what one would expect. The AI avatar's hair is a bit off, which ruins the charade that this is a real person.

But it excels at something far more powerful, and potentially sinister-editing existing images to add elements that were never there, in a way that's so seamless and convincing that even experts like myself can't detect the changes. That makes Nano Banana (and its inevitable copycats) both invaluable creative tools and an existential threat to the trustworthiness of photos-both new and historical.

In 2024, a scammer used deepfake audio and video to impersonate Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna and attempted to authorize a wire transfer, reportedly tied to an acquisition. Ferrari never confirmed the amount, which rumors placed in the millions of euros. The scheme failed when an executive assistant stopped it by asking a security question only the real CEO could answer. This isn't sci-fi. Deepfakes have jumped from political misinformation to corporate fraud. Ferrari foiled this one - but other companies haven't been so lucky.

AI-generated video has gotten way too good. Scary good, actually. Because of that, our feeds are flooded with suspiciously perfect clips - like impossibly cute animals bouncing on trampolines - racking up millions of views across TikTok, Shorts, and Reels. With AI content blending seamlessly into our scroll, it's not always easy to know what's real. So, how can you tell if a viral video is AI-generated?

"Remote work and advancements in AI have made it easier than ever for fake candidates to infiltrate the hiring process," said Scott McGuckin, vice president of global talent acquisition at Cisco. "Identifying these threats is our priority, which is why we are adapting our hiring process to include increased verification steps and enhanced background checks that may involve an in-person component.

Last year, Christopher Kohls posted a video in which Kamala Harris seemingly acknowledged being the ultimate diversity hire when Joe Biden chose her as his vice presidential running mate.

AI communication capabilities have evolved, providing vast input and output possibilities beyond simple text interactions. From photos to videos, AI can enhance creativity and communication, while also raising concerns about authenticity.

It's kinda like plagiarism, but more personal. It's not my work or my labor, it's a distinct part of who I am.

Melania Trump has never been a traditional first lady, yet she has shown a unique knack for bridging partisan divides.