Experts are warning of a rapid increase in the utilization of generative AIs like ChatGPT for malicious purposes, including the spread of disinformation campaigns by countries such as Russia. This is a stark warning that bad actors with long-term goals in mind are empowered by the dramatic advancement of technology, allowing them to easily deceive people by sneaking their lies in with the truth.
ChatGPT’s groundbreaking and remarkable ability to imitate a journalist so convincingly that even the Guardian’s head of editorial innovation was tricked into believing it to be real, has been the cause of worry and panic around the world. Kentaro Toyama, a professor of community information at the University of Michigan, voiced his concerns regarding AI, stating that the technology is getting better day-by-day, and its misuse for propaganda could have catastrophic implications.
Steve Brill and Gordon Crovitz, CEOs of Newsguard, the company dedicated to fighting misinformation, emphasized the potential misuse of generative AIs by bad actors. According to them, AIs provide the capability to spread thousands of words of disinformation in a matter of seconds, easily deceiving people and even eroding trust in once-trusted media outlets. Kentaro Toyama agreed, saying that AIs could have a negative impact on people’s behavior and lead to division amongst them, if they are misused.
Researchers have been aware of the potential evil that AIs can do in the pro hands of the wrong people for a few years, ChatGPT accepted in 2019 that they couldn’t do much about it, as it was difficult for them to understand who was doing what, and for what purpose.
Experts feel that companies must find a way to solve these problems without government intervention, while Kentaro Toyama believes that only a crisis as massive as an AI disaster, would bring the global powers together to work towards a solution. One can only hope that this nightmare of AI misuse does not come to pass.
ChatGPT is a USD$29 billion company. It is known for its capabilities of imitating a journalist, and is seen by many as a groundbreaking advancement in AI technology. Its founders have also warned against the misuse of its technology in the hands of malicious actors.
Kentaro Toyama is a University of Michigan professor of community information, and an expert in artificial intelligence and misinformation. He has given lengthy lectures on AI, machine learning and its potential misuse, advocating for a safer AI space.
