In another strange move lacking in intelligence or sensitivity, US President Donald Trump posted an AI-generated clip of what he dubbed the 'New Gaza'.
What is the New Gaza?
Trump recently posted on Truth Social a video of the rendering of the New Gaza. The New Gaza, or Trump Gaza as indicated in the video, envisions a Trump-loving party destination.
The AI-generated clip features music with lyrics such as: "Trump is coming to set you free, bringing the light for you to see. No more tunnels, no more fear, Trump Gaza is finally here."
Despite Palestinians resiliently rebuilding their lives after an onslaught of attacks, the video suggests that it has to change, showcasing a transformed Gaza with streets lined with palm trees, high-rise buildings, and luxury cars cruising on the roads.
Oh, and Elon Musk and Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu can be seen in the video living their best lives for some reason. There appears to be a golden statue of Trump himself, multiple Trump Gaza hotels, and other establishments.
AI in a political space
The use of AI in the political landscape is not new. There have been several cases of AI-generated robocalls impersonating former US President Joe Biden, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
The video raises concerns about the use of AI as a political tool, and if it goes too far, a tool for propaganda, as can be seen in this video.
An alarming aspect of AI-generated political content is its ability to blur the line between satire and policy messaging. Is it trolling or is it something more? Is it a joke or is it a warning of a vision that masks war and displacement under the guise of progress?
Another thing to note is that it's not a random person who is bored with their lives that used AI for this. It's a president and a rather influential one.
The Ethical and Security Risks of AI in Politics
The rise of AI-generated propaganda poses significant risks and can have dire consequences if not controlled. Bear in mind that AI has gotten more advanced. Gone are the days of being able to identify AI by just looking at the fingers or trying to listen out for inconsistencies in speech.
Mass Manipulation
With the rise of AI-generated videos, there is a concern that it can make propaganda more persuasive than traditional news media. This is especially dangerous as it can lead to the spread of misinformation and disinformation.
Disinformation
With AI, false narratives can be produced and distributed faster than fact-checkers can debunk them.
According to the World Economic Forum's (WEF) 2024 Global Risk Report, AI-supported disinformation is a number one threat.
At the time, the report linked the rise of disinformation and misinformation, stating: "Concerns over a persistent cost-of-living crisis and the intertwined risks of AI-driven misinformation and disinformation, and societal polarization dominated the risks outlook for 2024. The nexus between falsified information and societal unrest will take centre stage amid elections in several major economies that are set to take place in the next two years. Interstate armed conflict is a top five concern over the next two years. With several live conflicts under way, underlying geopolitical tensions and corroding societal resilience risk are creating conflict contagion."
It's alarming that it was stated almost one year ago and we are seeing the effects of it in the present day.
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Erosion of Trust
With the spread of misinformation and disinformation, comes the erosion of trust to actual, reliable news sources.
The public may soon struggle to differentiate between real and AI-generated content, fueling scepticism toward legitimate news.
Election Interference
As seen in previous deepfake campaigns and raised by WEF in their report, AI could be used to fabricate political speeches, manipulate public opinion, and undermine democratic processes.
AI for warfare
It's worth noting that AI goes beyond pictures and videos. They can be used in warfare itself.
According to Human Rights Watch, the Israeli military reportedly uses surveillance technologies, artificial intelligence (AI), and other digital tools to help determine who or what to attack in Gaza and when.
Additionally, Human Rights Watch found that four digital tools that the Israeli military is using in Gaza use faulty data and inexact approximations to inform military actions.
Human Rights Watch research indicates that the tools is believed to rely on ongoing and systematic Israeli surveillance of all Palestinian residents of Gaza, including with data collected prior to the current hostilities in a manner that is incompatible with international human rights law.
The tools use Palestinians’ personal data to inform military actions like threat predictions, and the identification of targets. Some tools rely on machine learning, which is the use of computerised systems that can draw inferences from data and recognize patterns without explicit instructions.
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