Ethical Dilemmas in Deep Fakes

• 28 Nov 2023

In this era of rapid technological advancements, Generative AI has emerged as a powerful tool with the capability to create highly convincing and realistic content, often blurring the lines between reality and fabrication. Deep Fakes, a manifestation of Generative AI, have raised ethical concerns due to their potential for misuse and pose significant challenges to not only the governments but also the civil servants in regulating the same and resolving the ethical dilemma involved, which can be understood precisely with the following incident.

A political campaign is underway for a prominent election, and various candidates are employing cutting-edge technologies to connect with voters. In this context, an unknown entity with advanced technical skills leverages Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) to create highly realistic Deep Fake videos featuring prominent political figures. These videos, though entirely fabricated, portray the figures engaging in unethical and illegal activities. The Deep Fakes are strategically disseminated through social media platforms, creating a significant impact on public perception and influencing the political landscape.

Despite creating false narratives about opposition candidates, these Deep Fake videos also run counter to the legislative and constitutional safeguards provided to the contesting candidates and militate directly against the robust democratic processes and electoral mechanisms. Apart from these, it also bypasses the obligations imposed by the Model Code of Conduct with impunity and questions the values of personal and professional ethics of wannabe representatives of the people.

In the context of the aforementioned incident, assess the role of civil services in addressing the ethical dilemma surrounding Generative AI and Deep Fake technologies.