The AI Act vs. deepfakes: A step forward, but is it enough?

 

Effective enforcement mechanisms to combat deepfakes are vital, considering the transnational nature of deepfakes and the potential for circumventing regulations, writes Cristina Vanberghen.

Prof. Dr. Cristina Vanberghen is an international legal practitioner and academic in the area of digitalisation.

With elections looming for half of the world, the potential for deepfakes to sow discord and undermine trust in institutions is more significant than ever. This is the terrifying reality of deepfakes, AI-generated content that can impersonate anyone with alarming accuracy.

While developers argue that their technology is evolving and mistakes are inevitable, the rapid rise of deepfakes, particularly those used for sexual harassment, fraud, and political manipulation, poses an existential threat to democratic processes and public discourse. (...)