The 'Post-Truth' World: Navigating the Deepfake Era in Our Professional Lives

Have you ever seen a video of a beloved, long-gone celebrity and felt a jolt of something complex – a mix of warmth, nostalgia, and maybe a little unease? That's the power of AI-driven video technology.

Recently, I donned my AI expert hat as Dan Sodergren and highlighted a growing trend: the use of AI to create videos of figures like Robin Williams. It’s a phenomenon that taps into our deepest emotions. Williams was such a warm and lovely figure that maybe, as Sodergren suggests, some people truly wish he were still alive. This emotional pull is what makes this technology so potent, for better and for worse.

The Two Faces of AI: Democratizing Technology for Good and Ill

On one hand, the accessibility of this technology is amazing. What used to cost thousands of pounds to achieve can now be done for mere pence. Consider the heartwarming example of someone using AI to gently animate old photos of their parents, bringing a flicker of life to cherished memories.

For those who don't have many photographs of their loved ones, this can be an incredibly powerful and positive experience. AI can restore old or damaged photos and videos by repairing scratches, filling in missing parts, and bringing back faded colors. This "democratization" of technology empowers us to connect with our past in new and meaningful ways.

However, this same accessibility has a dark side. The primary driver for many of the deepfake videos we see online isn't heartfelt sentiment, but cold, hard cash. The algorithms of social media platforms often reward "bad behavior" because it generates attention. Outrage and anger drive clicks, and sadly, some are willing to exploit the memory of a beloved figure like Robin Williams for a quick buck.

When Seeing is No Longer Believing: The Risks in the Workplace

While the manipulation of celebrity images is concerning, the real danger for most of us lies closer to home. The technology that can bring a celebrity back to "life" can also be used to create convincing fakes of ordinary people, and that's where the future of work gets complicated and frankly, a little terrifying.

Imagine receiving a video call from your boss instructing you to make an urgent wire transfer. You see their face, you hear their voice, and you comply. Only, it wasn't your boss. It was a deepfake. This isn't a scene from a sci-fi movie; it's a reality that businesses are already facing. In one case, a CEO was tricked into transferring €220,000 after receiving a phone call from someone using audio deepfake technology to impersonate his boss. The FBI reported a staggering $2.9 billion in losses from business email compromise scams in 2023 alone, and the integration of deepfake technology is making these scams even more sophisticated.

Here are just a few of the ways deepfake technology is posing a threat in the professional world:

• Fraud and Financial Scams: As in the example above, deepfakes can be used to impersonate executives and authorize fraudulent transactions.
  
• Recruitment Fraud: Some job seekers are using deepfake technology to create fake video interviews, with someone else appearing as the candidate. This can lead to unqualified or even malicious individuals gaining access to a company's internal systems.
  
• Blackmail and HR Issues: The potential for creating fake video evidence of conversations or events could lead to serious HR issues, blackmail, and reputational damage.
  
• Misinformation and Disinformation: On a larger scale, deepfakes can be used to spread misinformation that can damage a company's reputation, manipulate stock prices, or even interfere with elections.

Building Our Defenses: A "Digital Green Cross Code" for the AI Age

So, how do we navigate this new and uncertain landscape? We can't simply put the technology back in the box. Instead, we need to develop a new set of skills and a healthy dose of skepticism. I am calling for a "digital Green Cross code," a set of principles to help us stay safe in this new environment. Here are some actionable steps we can all take:

1. Cultivate Critical Thinking: Just as we were taught not to believe everything we read, we now need to apply that same critical lens to everything we see and hear online. Be wary of content that seems designed to provoke a strong emotional response.
   
2. Verify, Then Trust: If you receive an unexpected or unusual request, especially one involving financial transactions, take a moment to verify it through a different communication channel. A quick phone call to a known number can prevent a costly mistake.
   
3. Advocate for Clearer Laws: The legal landscape around our digital likeness is still catching up with the technology. In the U.S., the right of publicity is governed by a patchwork of state laws, with no comprehensive federal statute. Supporting legislation that protects our digital identity is crucial. Some states, like Tennessee with its ELVIS Act, are starting to address the unauthorized use of AI-generated voices and likenesses. But what about in the UK?
   
4. Embrace AI for Good: While we've focused on the dangers, it's important to remember the positive applications of AI. From restoring precious family memories to creating innovative marketing campaigns, AI can be a powerful tool for good. The key is to be intentional and ethical in its use.

Why This Is a Work Problem

I talk about the future of work for a living. So let me be direct about what this means:

🎯 Trust evaporates

• Your “boss” calls a Zoom meeting and fires you. Except it wasn’t them.
• An “HR complaint” with video evidence. That never happened.
• Your face and voice used to scam clients. Without your knowledge.

🎯 The infrastructure crumbles

• Video calls become unreliable
• Verification becomes essential for everything
• Remote work becomes a security risk
• Reputation can be destroyed in minutes

This isn’t sci-fi. This is happening now. And most organizations have zero policies for it.

What Denmark Is Doing (And We Should Follow)

Denmark is the only country exploring how you can copyright your own face. Think about that. In the UK, you have virtually no legal protection over your image. Does this mean… Your face can be cloned, used, manipulated - and you have limited recourse. If so… We need laws. Fast.

The rise of AI-generated content presents both a thrilling and a daunting vision of the future. The same technology that can bring a tear to our eye by animating an old photograph can also be used to deceive and defraud us. As we stand at this technological crossroads, the path forward requires a blend of cautious optimism and proactive education.

We must champion the incredible potential of AI while simultaneously building the critical thinking skills and legal frameworks necessary to protect ourselves from its misuse. The "post-truth" world is no longer a distant concept; it's our current reality.

By learning to navigate it wisely, we can harness the power of AI to create a better future of work, one that is both innovative and secure.