Artificial intelligence is carving out a worrying new turn to cyberbullying and scams. In the latest of a regular series examining AI’s development in the region, CNA finds out what’s the state of play – and how defences are evolving.
SINGAPORE: Investment opportunities being promoted by Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Indonesia’s late president Suharto endorsing candidates from a political party in the recent elections.
As these videos circulated online, they were promptly called out as deepfakes – clips manipulated through artificial intelligence (AI).
While these recordings were swiftly identified as fake, the rapid rise of AI means such doctored clips could soon become easier to create, and harder to detect.
This could spell big trouble for Southeast Asia as scammers exploit the technology, experts warn, with their actions already beginning to be seen.
Deepfakes and AI in general are also carving out a worrying new face to cyberbullying, potentially worsening an already persistent issue in the region.
That being said, counter-efforts are advancing as well – and with the help of AI to boot. But that’s only a piece of the overall puzzle, analysts say.
AI-POWERED CRIME
Cybersecurity firms and analysts told CNA they have noticed the increased use of AI in crime in Southeast Asia.
Increased accessibility to the technology has led to more “sophisticated fraudulent practices”, said Assistant Professor Nydia Remolina Leon at Singapore Management University’s (SMU) Yong Pung How School of Law.
She pointed out a notable trend of scammers using AI for celebrity impersonations targeting the more vulnerable groups, such as those who are older and not tech-savvy.
This has been observed in the US. Hollywood star Tom Hanks was deepfaked to promote a dental plan, while an AI-generated version of singer-songwriter Taylor Swift peddled cookware sets.
Here in the region, cybersecurity experts referenced the recent videos involving deepfakes of Singapore’s leaders to push investment scams.
