In a remarkable moment during a recent Q&A session with the public, Russian President Vladimir Putin faced what appeared to be an AI-generated “deep fake” version of himself. The event, which combined Putin’s annual phone-in with the Russian public and his end-of-year press conference, allows citizens to directly engage with the president on various topics.
The AI questioner, claiming to be a student at St Petersburg Institute, posed an intriguing question to Putin, asking about the prevalence of twins resembling him and the president’s stance on the dangers associated with neural networks and artificial intelligence. The question drew laughter from the audience, and Putin momentarily paused before responding with his characteristic seriousness.
Acknowledging the resemblance and voice similarity, Putin asserted, “I see you may resemble me and speak with my voice. But I have considered this matter and concluded that only one person should resemble me and speak with my voice, and that person will be me.”
This incident sheds light on ongoing speculations surrounding Putin’s alleged use of body doubles at certain events, which the Kremlin recently dismissed. However, the encounter also highlights the growing global concerns surrounding the use of AI-generated “deep fakes” to disseminate misinformation.
The term “deepfake” refers to AI-created images, sounds, or videos of real individuals, employed to manipulate media content and spread false information. Political figures and celebrities often become targets of these manipulated visuals and audio, with potential consequences for public trust and information integrity.
Source (CNBC)
