Modi warns against deepfakes, asks media to be on guard
Amidst growing concern over the misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) after deepfakes of some celebrities created massive outrage lately, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday cautioned that deepfakes can lead to a big crisis and urged the media to spread awareness about their misuse and educate people.
Addressing the media during the BJP’s “Diwali Milan” event at the party headquarters in the national capital, the Prime Minister said that he recently saw a deepfake video of him performing garba, even though he has not done so since schooldays.
The Prime Minister also said that during a recent meeting with the representatives of the ChatGPT company, he suggested that there should be a warning or some disclaimer to clarify that the video is a deepfake. Just like health warnings on tobacco products.
Raising concerns over the possible misuse of AI and its potential to stoke discontent in society, the Prime Minister said, “In a diverse society like ours, deepfakes can cause a big crisis and even stoke the fire of discontent as people generally trust anything associated with the media in the same way anyone clad in ‘gerua’ (saffron) tends to get respect from others.”