Tech giants Meta (formerly Facebook), Google, and Microsoft are reportedly collaborating on a pact to develop tools and strategies for detection and prevention of deepfake threat. The ultimate goal is to create a safer online environment where trust and truth can prevail.
AI giants like Meta, Microsoft, Google, and OpenAI are teaming up to tackle deepfake threat. The companies involved announced on Tuesday that they had created this political fake content using artificial intelligence (AI), which could deceive people before important elections worldwide this year.
They are working on a pact or agreement to address deepfakes and other misleading content. The involved parties are still discussing this agreement and anticipate unveiling it during the Munich Security Conference on Friday.
Deepfakes, hyper-realistic videos, or audio recordings manipulated using AI, pose a serious challenge to trust online and discourse. They can use them to spread disinformation, damage reputations, and undermine democratic processes by seamlessly altering faces, voices, and even body language. The upcoming year holds several crucial elections worldwide, making the issue particularly timely and concerning.
Concerns And Actions
A spokesperson from Meta stated, “In a critical year for global elections, technology companies are working on an accord to combat the deceptive use of AI targeted at voters.” They mentioned that companies like Adobe, Google, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI, and TikTok collaborate on this initiative.
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The companies plan to develop methods to recognize, mark, and manage AI-created images, videos, and audio that aim to trick voters. The Washington Post was the first to report on this project.
Concerns have risen as big tech companies face pressure over fears that AI technology could be misused in important election periods. Meta, Google, and OpenAI have already agreed to use a common watermarking standard to tag images created by their AI systems.
Recent incidents, such as a fake call impersonating US President Joe Biden, which discouraged people from voting in the New Hampshire primary, have highlighted the potential misuse of AI in politics. However, in Pakistan, AI has been used to create speeches for a jailed political leader Imran Khan by their party.
By working together, these tech giants aim to address the misuse of AI in politics and help ensure fair and transparent elections worldwide.