The Comedy of Tragic AI-Enhanced Disinformation

To kick off, let’s go down memory lane to a century ago. Picture this – just a few days prior to a British general election, the Daily Mail drops a shocking letter that could well turn into a blockbuster spy thriller, supposedly written by none other than Grigory Zinoviev, the head honcho of the Communist International. The letter screams of a major Bolshevik plot (dramatic gasp) to cripple the British army and navy, instigate a civil war and position the Labour government as cute puppets in the hands of their supposedly real masters, the cheeky chaps in Moscow. Suspiciously enough, Labour ended up losing the election. Decades later, a sniff around revealed that this letter was forged by an MI6 agent’s source. Ah, the sweet smell of political disinformation campaigns!

Breaking Down the Article’s Key Points

• The concept of painting false narratives, Jackie Chan-styled mafia bosses, and inventing uber-exciting plots isn’t new. What’s new is the addition of tech’s latest prodigy – AI—into the mix, making the production of these spectacular dramas cheaper, quicker, and easier.
• Our friendly neighbourhood AI is no longer an approaching threat but a present issue – like climate change or needing to find the remote when your favourite show has started.
• Even Mayor Sadiq Khan had a taste of this foul cocktail of AI and deceit last week when a fake audio clip, supposedly featuring him making not-so-polite remarks about Remembrance weekend, was generously circulated around by the far right.
• Remember the incident of the robocall in January that urged Democrats, in Joe Biden’s voice, not to vote in the New Hampshire primary? Or was it Men In Black’s neuralyzer that wiped off this particular snippet?
• In a year packed with over 40 national elections worldwide, we’re in for a bumpy ride, folks!

Final Thoughts

The twist in this plot may sound like something pulled straight out of a B-rated sci-fi movie, but it’s real. Trust me, I couldn’t make this up if I tried. AI has just joined the ‘Misinformation All-star team,’ making the fabrication of false narratives as easy as ordering pizza online. And just like eating too much pizza, the consequences may hit our societal stomach hard. With technology evolving at the speed of light, our response needs to be just as quick, if not quicker, and hopefully not involve a Tums. So, vote wisely, question smartly, and try not to believe everything someone’s ‘uncle’s friend’s cousin from NASA’ sends you on WhatsApp.