Please try to imagine. One afternoon, when I answered a call from an unknown number, I didn’t hear someone trying to contact me about an extended warranty on my car, as I expected, and instead, my teenage daughter panicked for help. You will hear a cry that fell into the You are convinced it is her voice and begin to panic when a man answers the phone and tells you that he has kidnapped her and wants her large sum of money in exchange for her release. However, as the call progresses, they gradually begin to realize that something is wrong, only to find out that her daughter is safe, although another family makes phone calls to her daughter. I was absolutely certain it was her who heard on her phone, but it wasn’t. Instead, it was an exact copy of her voice created by artificial intelligence. This terrifying scenario is exactly what happened to a woman in Arizona recently, and it could happen to any of us as a result of this new technology.
Over the past few months, the news has been filled with articles showing both advances and concerns around artificial intelligence (“AI”). In its most basic definition, AI can act as a virtual assistant (“Hey Siri”), operate a self-driving car, or use facial recognition software. All of these examples may sound harmless, but as AI continues to learn, adapt, and become capable of thinking and reacting in real time just like humans, the seemingly limitless capabilities it can one day achieve are of great concern. there is.
One of the most significant and immediate risks that AI poses to us today is the threat of identity theft through the use of what are known as “deep fakes”. A deepfake is an AI-generated video or audio recording intended to impersonate a real human being, like the one used against a mother in Arizona. With the rapid improvement in the ability of AI to learn, this kind of impersonation has become very real and increasingly cheap to create. This means that criminal organizations have made this spoof widely available. As a result, there has been a significant increase in scammers across the country using AI to defraud innocent people of their money.
As such, news stories highlighting the growing dangers of deepfakes and other AI threats are becoming more and more frequent, as are calls for responsible regulation of the platform to protect the public. .
In West Virginia, residents can seek help from the Office of the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division if they are the victim of identity theft. The office is committed to educating West Virginians to protect them from being victims of fraud and identity theft.
The Attorney General’s Office is also responsible for enforcing state consumer protection laws. This means that if people in West Virginia become victims of illegal commercial practices when purchasing goods or services, the first step is often to file a complaint with the Consumer Protection Agency. To do.
Across the country, several state attorneys general are already taking action to protect citizens from the danger of unlawful discrimination in the financial and housing markets resulting from decision-making automated by AI software instead of humans. In the future, it will be the Attorney General’s responsibility to intervene and protect the public should West Virginia residents fall victim to similar acts.
Over the past few months, it has become clear that while AI promises great advances in areas such as medicine and manufacturing, this promise also comes with considerable risks. Because the Attorney General plays a key role in preventing identity theft and protecting consumers, it is imperative that the Attorney General is prepared to meet the challenges posed by this technology.
Prior to becoming an attorney, I served as an intelligence officer in the Air Force and spent several years in agencies dealing with cybersecurity within the U.S. intelligence community. As a legislator, I continued to address this issue as an appointee of the state’s policy academy on cybersecurity. West Virginia’s next Attorney General must be someone who understands this complex threat, can adapt on behalf of the people, and can lead the fight against it. I strongly believe that my military and legislative experience has prepared me to take on this role and help educate and protect West Virginians from the growing threat posed by artificial intelligence.
(Senator Ryan Weld represents the 1st Senate District and serves as Majority Whip, Chairman of the Armed Services Committee, and Vice Chairman of the Judiciary Committee in the West Virginia Senate. He is the Spielman-Thomas and Battle Law Firm Attorney. Republican Attorney General Candidate)
