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What is the story
A doctored video impersonating US Vice President Kamala Harris' voice has garnered more than 123 million views on X since it was shared by Elon Musk.
The video in question was edited to show Harris slurring and making incomprehensible remarks, and Musk used it to mock the skills and record of Harris, the likely Democratic presidential nominee.
The video has gone viral, raising concerns about the misuse of AI as the US presidential election heats up.
Watch the video
Harris campaign condemns video, Musk defends parody
Dr. Kate Tepper, a spokeswoman for the Harris campaign, condemned the video in an email. of Associated Press.
“We believe what the American people want is the real freedom, opportunity and security that Vice President Harris is providing, not the false, manipulated lies of Elon Musk and Donald Trump,” she said.
In response to criticism that voice manipulation should be illegal, Musk defended his actions, saying he had checked with “Professor Sagon Deesnutz, a world-renowned authority, and he said parody is legal in the US.”
Experts warn that AI could spread misinformation
The incident highlights growing concerns that AI-generated media could spread misinformation.
Hany Farid, a digital forensics expert at the University of California, Berkeley, praised the quality of the AI-generated voices but warned about their potential for misuse. “AI-generated voices are very good,” Farid said.
“Most people would not believe that it is Vice President Harris' voice, but having the words spoken in her voice makes the video that much more powerful.”
AI-generated misinformation: a global problem
The problem of AI-driven misinformation is not unique to the US: Examples of deepfakes have appeared around the world, including fake audio clips from Slovakia and videos from India.
In response to these challenges, social media platforms such as YouTube are introducing policies that require users to disclose the use of generative AI in their content.
As the United States heads into the elections this November, the manipulation of AI technology for political gain has become a pressing issue.
