DUBAI: Deepfake technology — AI-generated videos and images that mimic real people or alter events — has surged in recent years, transforming the digital landscape.
Once considered a novelty, deepfakes now pose serious risks, capable of spreading misinformation, manipulating public opinion, and undermining trust in media. As the technology becomes more sophisticated, distinguishing fact from fiction is increasingly difficult, making societies vulnerable to deception and chaos.
The challenge is unprecedented and escalating quickly.
In March 2022, as Russian troops closed in on Kyiv, a chilling video began circulating online. It appeared to show Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, pale and weary, urging his soldiers to surrender.
This illustration photo taken on January 30, 2023 shows a phone screen displaying a statement from the head of security policy at META with a fake video (R) of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky calling on his soldiers to lay down their weapons shown in the background. (AFP/file photo)
