New Delhi, India

The year 2023 stands at the crossroads in the progression and influence of deepfake technology. Once only in the hands of a handful of tech wizards, today, deepfake has become a tool of exploitation for many. Not only has it reshaped public discourse but has also instigated confusion, hurt sentiments, maligned and tarnished people, led to frauds, and challenged the very essence of truth in the digital era. Most strikingly, even the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not spared by deepfake. The songs 'sung by him' are a viral rage on social media.

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Deepfake technology poses a serious threat to democracy, global harmony, personal privacy, and the overall functioning of the world.

"Deepfakes, along with shallow fakes, causing replicated images and audio, pose significant risks on both social and financial dimensions. It's crucial to note that while AI-generated deepfakes are the primary focus, manually manipulated shallow fakes are equally important to detect and mitigate risks. Additionally, audio fakes are becoming equally risky, especially those used for fraudulent bank transactions," Dr Srinivas Padmanabhuni, Cofounder and CTO at AIEnsured, an AI validation and compliance company, told WION. 

The use of affordable AI tools has led to a sharp increase in deepfake videos, rising more than fivefold (550 percent) since 2019, as reported in the 2023 State of Deepfakes.

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Infographic

Data source: Home security heroes: 2023 state of deepfakes 

An alarming 98 per cent of all deepfake videos contain explicit content, with 99 per cent of them targeting women. This troubling trend has been evident in various incidents throughout the year.

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The Bollywood film industry found itself entangled in deepfake controversies, notably featuring actress Rashmika Mandanna, whose visage was seamlessly blended with that of an influencer. Parallel incidents involving actresses Alia Bhatt, Kajol, Aishwarya Rai, and Katrina Kaif raised alarms regarding the violation of privacy.

Also read | Explained | What are deepfakes and how to spot them?

Deepfake assaults transcended mere entertainment and privacy qualms to exert an impact on geopolitical dynamics.

In November, Russian entities disseminated a deepfake portraying Ukraine's top general, Zaluzhny Valery Fedorovich, denouncing President Vladimir Zelenskyy and advocating for a coup in Kyiv. Another disconcerting episode involved a doctored video of Russian President Vladimir Putin announcing an all-out war against Ukraine, broadcasted on Russian television, exacerbating geopolitical tensions.

Deepfakes are changing the political story game, influencing events such as the presidential elections in Argentina and assembly elections in India. In the Israel-Hamas conflict, a high-tech deepfake video featuring Jordanian Queen Rania Al Abdullah supporting Israel is again an example of how deepfakes can be used as a potent tool in shaping perceptions during regional conflicts.

Also watch | Indian Celebs vs Deepfakes

In the realm of India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sounded a note of caution, advocating for a global framework regulating artificial intelligence, with the Indian government devising legislation to address the deepfake predicament.

"The government should take steps to formulate laws of strict nature on detection and work towards strict penalties and strict time-bound actions to remove such content or block it. Alongside the regulations, they should invest in a massive evangelisation campaign to raise awareness of these fakes. Free distribution by the government of detection software would be a great help," Dr Padmanabhuni noted.