Social media outlets strive to confront AI-produced pictures prior to the November vote.
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On Thursday, TikTok revealed their plans to label AI-generated content. Following Meta's statement last month about labeling such content, YouTube has also introduced rules demanding creators disclose when videos are AI-made to apply a label. Elon Musk's X has not announced any plans to label AI-generated content.
As the high-stakes November elections approach within less than 200 days, and technology advances rapidly, the three largest social media platforms—TikTok, Meta, and YouTube—have each shared their plans to help users discern between content crafted by humans and machines.
OpenAI, the ChatGPT creator that also allows users to create AI-generated imagery through its DALL-E model, recently shared a tool detecting AI-built images. The company also launched a $2 million election-fraud prevention fund with Microsoft to combat deepfakes that could manipulate voters and harm democracy.
These initiatives signal a growing realization from Silicon Valley about the potential disruption that AI-developed tools can cause in the information landscape and the potential for severe damage to democratic processes.
AI-made images have already proven to be deceptive. This week, a bold A.I.-generated image of Katy Perry as someone attending Met Gala in a sparkling and floral dress deceived many people, even Perry's own mother, who thought it was true. Only when Perry clarified its origin did her mom realize the truth. While the harm was minimal, it's not hard to envision a scenario—particularly dawning on a crucial election—where a misleading photograph can mislead voters and stir chaos, potentially swaying public opinion in favor of one candidate.
The government, unfortunately, has failed to interfere and implement safeguards on the technology. With the federal government showing little enthusiasm for such actions, it falls on the industry to regulate AI-created content and prevent their exploitation for harmful purposes. (One can't help but wonder what could go wrong?)
Whether these industry-led endeavors are effective at halting the spread of harmful deepfakes is yet to be seen. Social media companies, notorious for their lax enforcement of content rules, have failed to keep malicious content at bay in the past. With the rising influx of AI-generated images and the stakes higher than ever ahead of a pivotal election, this fails to inspire confidence in their ability to properly police the information space.
The dynamic interplay between AI technology and elections underlines the need for urgent action to prevent their misuse. The extent to which the industry can handle this task is undetermined.
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In light of these efforts, numerous businesses in the media industry have begun exploring ways to incorporate AI technology for content creation while maintaining transparency. For instance, some news outlets are experimenting with AI-generated news summaries, ensuring they are clearly labeled as such.
Moreover, as the reliance on digital platforms for information consumption continues to grow, it's crucial for businesses in the media sector to prioritize truthful and trustworthy AI-generated content, promoting responsible use of AI in the media landscape.
Source: edition.cnn.com
