In the digital age, the rise of deepfakes presents a new and formidable challenge. The technology threatens to blur the lines between fact and fiction, altering our very perception of reality.
One survey has shown that 15 percent of respondents in a study forming false memories from fake images and 50 percent believing the events depicted really did happen, the implications for society are significant.
The study comes from the company Hipnode. This explores how these AI-generated videos can implant false memories, influencing our decisions and identities.
1 in 7 People Form False Memories from AI Deepfakes
According to Hipnode PR Executive, Myah Cooper: “The true danger lies not in the machine becoming more like the man, but in the man becoming more like the machine.”
Such distortions are propagated on social media, spawning what may be the next big challenge of the information age – the creation of false memories using deep fakes.
Manipulated Media: A New Norm
The casual social media user is no stranger to the labels on posts informing them about manipulated media. From photos of Pope Francis in a giant white puffer jacket going viral to a convincingly realistic AI video made ostensibly for Balenciaga’s marketing campaign – we’ve all seen or heard of such instances.
Deep Fakes: A Force of Disinformation
Deep fakes, a burgeoning type of deceptive content, are ingenious. These AI-generated videos can effortlessly tamper with the facial expressions and speech of public figures, presenting entirely distorted scenarios under a veneer of reality. The potential of such AI-weaponized deception to ‘implant’ false memories is not mere fiction but is rooted in established cognitive science.
The term “Mandela Effect” – a phenomenon where a large group of people collectively remember an event or detail differently from what actually happened – is connected with the deepfake process. A phenomenon largely influenced by suggestions, new information, and recollection of incidents, which becomes a playground for deepfakes to exploit.
The Influence on Memory: A Tug on Autonomy
Deep fakes sway not just our memory but subsequently, the choices we make, our socioemotional states – our identity. This direct interference challenges the sense of autonomy – our ability to make free decisions for ourselves.
The malleability of our memories has long been a subject of scientific research. Most revealing is the notion that our minds are especially prone to forming false memories, a susceptibility that can be accentuated on the internet where false ideas breed and multiply.
A Perception Threat: The Future of False Memories
The implications of such findings underscore the growing threat to our perception of history. Not only do we stand at risk of conjuring incorrect memories about factual details but entire events as a whole. The evolving landscape of artificial intelligence calls not just for adaptability but also increased vigilance.
Hence, it is important to adopt a critical approach to any content that is encountered. Cross-verification, checking the authenticity of the source, and separating what we want to believe from what is factual, become vital tools in this battle against deep fakes and false memories.
