Another Worry

As if PR practitioners did not have enough to worry about, science has come up with a way to make convincing fake videos of people talking. They used AI to create a video of former President Obama speaking in a new context. While the researchers see positive uses for the breakthrough, others are concerned that it can and will be used to create fake news. What could be more devastating to candidates or office-holders than a video of them making racist or other derogatory comments. They can claim rightly that they never said the words ascribed to them, but meanwhile the public has video to prove them wrong. It is the ultimate of dirty tricks. One hopes the researchers use their new technology wisely and do not make it available to the world readily. It can distort elections, compromise CEOS and play havoc with one’s reputation.