In an exclusive interview on Sunday, the aspiring 2024 Presidential candidate voiced apprehensions about deepfakes, emphasizing their potential security threats.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump shared his views on the globally disruptive technology, referring to AI as “possibly the most perilous entity” in a forthcoming broadcast interview.
A preview excerpt from an interview with Fox Business’ Maria Bartiromo showcased Trump discussing various topics, including Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) and artificial intelligence.
Speaking on the episode of Sunday Morning Futures, Trump expressed his unease, stating, “The AI, as they call it, is so alarming. I believe it might be the most hazardous thing out there because there’s no definitive solution.”
Since its public introduction last year, artificial intelligence, particularly generative AI, has made a significant impact globally. Unfortunately, the proliferation of AI tools has led to a surge in AI-generated deepfakes, featuring prominent figures such as the 2024 Republican presidential hopeful and his current rival, President Joe Biden.
“I recently witnessed someone imitating me, making a speech about their product,” Trump recounted. “I asserted, ‘I’ll never endorse that, and I’m telling you, you can’t even discern the difference.'”
AI-generated deepfakes, featuring high-profile individuals like Trump, Biden, Pope Francis, Tom Hanks, and most recently, Taylor Swift, have inundated the internet.
During the interview, Trump urged action against AI and AI-generated deepfakes, expressing concern that the technology could be exploited to initiate conflicts.
“Something needs to be done about this, and it needs to be done swiftly,” Trump emphasized. “And nobody really knows what to do.”
A parallel concern was echoed by the United Nations and UN Secretary-General last summer.
“A prompt and immediate response from all stakeholders is essential to ensure the safe, secure, responsible, ethical, and human rights-compliant use of artificial intelligence. This includes addressing the implications of recent advancements in this field for the spread of misinformation, disinformation, and hate speech,” stated a UN report.
Trump labeled AI as a problem that requires immediate attention. “What you say in an interview hardly matters anymore,” he remarked. “They can manipulate things, and nobody can discern the difference; even experts can’t tell. This poses a significant security problem.”
Even the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission chair, Gary Gensler, has raised concerns about deepfakes and their potential risk to global markets.
“I believe we have solid laws, but these new technologies will test these laws,” Gensler commented. “If AI is used for deepfakes in the market, that’s a genuine risk to the markets,” he added, emphasizing that “fraud is fraud.”
Last month, OpenAI released a statement outlining its strategy to combat misinformation using ChatGPT as the 2024 election season approaches.
“As we gear up for the 2024 elections in the world’s largest democracies, our approach is to continue enhancing platform safety by promoting accurate voting information, enforcing prudent policies, and enhancing transparency,” OpenAI stated in a blog post.
