More and more in-depth commercials featuring celebrities: ‘Serious problem’

Jamie Donaldson (MrBeast) on X, formerly Twitter, asks: “Is social media ready to handle the rise of AI deepfakes?” “This is a serious problem.”

Deepfakes are images created using artificial intelligence (AI), in which an existing person is imitated. These images can appear lifelike and have also led to lawsuits. In the Netherlands, for example, a 39-year-old man is on trial for allegedly creating fake pornography using fake photos of broadcaster Wilmoed Sietsma.

Very believable

MrBeast has become known for his YouTube videos in which he gives away cars, houses, and cash prizes. The fact that the fake video appears to offer a similar service makes it more credible, the BBC reported. The account on TikTok, where the video was shared, has now been removed from social media.

Earlier this week, Tom Hanks posted a warning on his personal social media pages about a fake dental insurance ad. “I had nothing to do with this,” he wrote alongside a photo of himself.

It has been happening for some time now that celebrities are being used in deepfake videos. For example, in March last year, a video of Ukrainian President Zelensky was circulated on Facebook, in which he allegedly surrendered to the Russians. This video was eventually removed by Facebook’s parent company Meta.

Warnings

More and more tech giants and politicians are calling for regulation of artificial intelligence. During a summit meeting in Japan in May this year, ministers of the G7, a group of seven rich countries including the United States and Germany, issued a joint statement in which they stated that rules are essential for the development of artificial intelligence.

They stressed the need to maintain an “open and stimulating environment” for technology. The rules should focus on intellectual property rights, transparency and combating misinformation.