Deepfake audio & video and generative AI art applications present us with significant new difficulties when it comes to fake news. This imagery can be so accurate and convincing that it becomes extremely hard to figure out if what we're looking at is real or fake. And in a world in which bad actors increasingly want us to question the truth of any information, keeping us in a constant state of confusion, this is not a problem that's likely to go away any time soon.
All isn't lost, however. This page contains resources that can help you differentiate between a real image or an AI generated one, and a real video or a deep fake.
Even with these resources in hand, you will still need to be a discerning consumer of information to ensure that you are not fooled by deepfakes and AI art. Approach all digital information with a healthy sense of skepticism, use common sense when faced with something that seems too ridiculous to be real, and try to triangulate information through multiple sources or outlets when you come across video or audio footage of a politician, authority figure, celebrity, or, frankly, anyone else, saying or doing something outlandish, absurd, or problematic.
This video by AI expert Brent Anders introduces the TRAP Test for dealing with deepfakes:
Think Critically--question any digital image, audio or video
Realistic/Reliable/Reputable--Does this seem real? Is the source reliable & reputable?
Accurate/Authority--Are all parts accurate? Is the source an authority on the subject?
Purpose/Propaganda--What is the purpose of this? Is it likely to be propaganda?
This AI-generated image of Pope Francis is so convincing that its creator of it was disturbed by how many people thought it was a real photograph.
