Graphic and sexually suggestive images of Taylor Swift, the legendary pop star, have been spread across social media by artificial intelligence (AI), revealing the dark reality of AI technology and its potentially devastating consequences.
Swift's grotesque fake images spread primarily on the social network X (formerly known as Twitter). Although they were removed, the massive viralization prior to their removal raises concerns about the AI's ability to create harmful and realistic content.
Swift's rep did not comment on the incident.
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This incident assumes significance in an election year in the United States and raises concerns about how AI-generated images could be used to misinform and manipulate public opinion.
Ben Decker, director of Memetica, a digital research agency, warns against the uncontrolled use of generative AI to create harmful content on social networks without sufficient safeguards.
The lack of effective oversight by social networks like X, which has reduced its moderation team, raises questions about online safety. Meta has also scaled back its efforts to combat disinformation, raising concerns ahead of the 2024 elections.
The origins of the Taylor Swift images remain unclear, but their impact has led to consideration of the need for stricter regulations.
This episode highlights the growing threat of AI-generated images and the lack of consensus around content moderation. Decker suspects Swift's notoriety could spur lawmakers and tech companies to act, similar to changes following Ticketmaster's collapse in 2022.
The use of technology to create non-consensual “revenge porn” has led to nine US states passing laws against “deepfake” images, underscoring the urgent need to address the risks of AI in the digital age.