Speakers
Synopsis
Imagine watching a mainstream news channel and seeing a video showcasing the world on the brink of disaster—a catastrophe that appears genuine but is entirely fabricated by AI. This scene is not so dystopian as you may think; this reality is fast approaching. We are at a tipping point, transitioning from the peak of human-generated contents, into a landscape saturated with AI-produced information, challenging our very notion of truth.
Over the last year, I have been working closely with the Australian Government to help tackle the growing threat of disinformation and misinformation. In that time, I have recognised that this spectre has arisen on the horizon threatens to leave us floating aimlessly on a sea of misinformation, impossible to refute or verify.
In this talk, we will explore the rapid mass production of misinformation and disinformation by AI and the increasing difficulty of distinguishing fact from fiction as it becomes ingrained into the internet. With AI now capable of both content creation and user engagement, it is becoming harder to validate information through cross-checking and to obtain reliable information from centralised sources of truth. Not only can AI produce a sea of false information, but it also has the potential to execute misinformation campaigns tailored to specific audiences, exploit biases, and create personalised echo chambers, making it difficult for individuals to encounter diverse perspectives.
This talk will also cover the rapid advancement of technologies and the inability of legislation and industry standards to keep us. This is especially concerning in an era where people increasingly rely on social media platforms for news, with 46% of 18–24-year-olds nominating social media as their main source of news according to the Australian Communications and Media Authority. Additionally, the lack of public awareness campaigns to combat this shift on the internet drawing on the damaging impacts of AI hallucinations, and unchecked misinformation – ranging from reputation harm to geopolitical instability. To illustrate these threats, we will examine current case studies the show case the harrowing potential of AI from deepfakes of influential leaders and the creation of revenge pornographic material.
Finally, we will showcase current efforts to combat AI-driven misinformation, from regulatory measures to platform-specific initiatives. My goal is to equip participants with a newfound responsibility to increase public awareness and vigilance in the face of this new digital frontier.
