Dangerous “Fake News” Video Technology Is Here

 

Using Artificial Intelligence to create fake videos will make the truth even more difficult to discern than it already is.

Anything you see on TV might very well be fake. I know. I know. Most of it already is. But the technology to make advanced “fake videos” of people saying fake things or doing fake things now exists with the help of advanced Artificial Intelligence.

That’s right, it’s now possible to create a fake news video of President Trump endorsing a Democrat or Sean Hannity offering “evidence” for Russia-gate. BuzzFeed and MonekyPaw Productions used artificial intelligence (AI) to create a fake video in which former President Barrack Obama slings profanity and offers his opinion on the movie Black Panther.

The actual “Obama” in the video is actor Jordan Peele who in reality looks nothing like the ex-president. Peele talks, but it looks as if Obama is saying the words. The process uses AI to manipulate video so it looks as if Peele’s words are coming out of Obama’s mouth.

How “Terrorist Created” Fake News Could Lead to Chaos

The greatest danger from using artificial intelligence or “AI” this way is obvious – the bad guys now have the ability to put fake news into anybody’s mouth. (That means false flag operations as well.)

An obvious strategy to generate panic would be a fake clip of CBS Anchor Jeff Glor or Fox News’ Bill Hemmer saying that terrorists are about to detonate a nuclear weapon in New York City. If the clip were somehow inserted into a real news broadcast it would create chaos.  Thousands or millions of people might flee in panic jamming freeways, train stations, and airports.

A nationwide panic might ensue if the fake news anchor claimed that there was a shortage of food or gasoline or that the credit-card system would shut down at midnight. A result of such frauds might be riots at supermarkets, filling stations, banks, or ATMs, as panicked mobs rushed to stock up on food, cash, or fuel.

An even greater catastrophe would be a fake address by a phony President Trump suddenly interrupting prime time TV and announcing martial law or a new war. A fake “message from the President” could quickly create nationwide or even worldwide panic with a phony warning about a terrorist attack, a shortage, or even war.

The technology to create fake videos has been around for some time. A YouTube video from 2016 shows how AI puts the expressions from an actor’s face on video of politicians like Vladimir Putin and George W. Bush. It is only a matter of time before terrorists and hostile governments like that in North Korea utilize such AI and fake news to spread terror.

Any Audio Can be Fake Too

Nor is it just television news that can be faked. The technology to create realistic phony radio announcements also exists.

A company called Lyrebird is already marketing algorithms it claims will let anybody mimic anybody else’s voice, The Verge reported. Adobe has created ProjectVoCo, a “Photoshop for voice” that lets anybody create their own fake audio just like Photoshop lets you manipulate pictures, The BBC reported.

Lyrebird even released a demonstration clip of fake audio of politicians such as President Trump to demonstrate its capabilities. Disturbingly, Lyberbird claims its algorithm can generate up to one thousand fake sentences in one second.

Any News can be Fake

The danger is that any news can now be faked with today’s technology. Thinking Americans need to be prepared for phony news or announcements coming out of the mouths of what look like real people.

Be skeptical of all video clips that you see and any audio that you hear. If you see a video or hear audio that seems sensational or weird get suspicious.

A great way to check out a news story is to simply Google it …  if the news is on just one or two sites, there is a good chance it is fake. Another method to employ is to change the channel if you are watching TV, if news or an announcement is on just one station get suspicious.

Real news should be coming from several sources. News that is coming from just one source should be questioned.

Finally, be prepared to be patient and wait it out. If you have already done the basic preparations for disaster; such as stockpiling food, ammunition, cash, fuel, etc., you can simply sit back and wait out a fake news panic at home.

At the end of the day, it is always the unprepared that create panic and chaos. Fake news and the new AI fake videos are potentially dangerous threats. Just think…

What if the Nazi’s had this technology?