A Whatcom County detective has filed a $30 million tort suit alleging that a fellow detective created an AI-generated sexual video of her.
Detective Derek Jones is accused of fabricating images of female detectives performing sex acts and sharing the videos with the entire unit and patrol officers.
Sheriff Donnell Tanksley said accountability was paramount and he had launched two investigations into the matter.
John Rizvi, a professor at Nova Southeastern School of Law, highlighted the potential harms of AI, saying, “AI can clearly be used for many benefits, but there are also potential harms.”
The tort complaint obtained by KIRO 7 News details that the video was created while Detective Jones was on the job and was shared widely within the department.
The female detective claims the incident is part of a long-standing hostile work environment.
Sheriff Donnell Tanksley has launched two investigations into allegations of harassment and discrimination.
The Attorney General’s Office has established a task force to combat misuse of AI, which can lead to severe penalties, including imprisonment and fines.
Rizvi also highlighted the difficulty in distinguishing between real video and AI-generated video, saying, “This isn’t even real. And it’s becoming increasingly difficult for someone to look at a video and tell whether it’s real or AI-generated.”
One legal expert cited the upcoming Take It Down Act, which would require AI platforms to delete deepfakes within 48 hours, but is not expected to go into effect until next year.
Rizvi suggested that technology companies should implement watermarks and labeling on AI-generated videos to ensure accountability.
