Artificial Intelligence The Good and Bad
“Success in creating AI (artificial intelligence) would be the biggest event in human history. Unfortunately, it might also be the last, unless we learn how to avoid the risks.” –Stephen Hawking
07-17-2023
When you hear news about artificial intelligence (AI), you might assume it has nothing to do with you. AI has arrived and is already impacting our everyday life. In fact, AI is encountered by most people on a daily basis. Here are some examples of how:- Opening your phone with face I.D
- personalizing what you see on your social media sites
- spell check when sending e-mails
- spam filters to block e-mails
- google searches
- digital voice assistants
- smart home devices
- Amazon and Netflix suggestions
AI systems can also write passable essays, they can ace the bar exam and they’re used for scientific research.
Like all good things, when used for the wrong reasons, they can cause a lot of damage. I want to make you aware of one such situation.
What if you received a call from a loved one that sound upset and they describe an emergency that they need help with. Chances are you would not refuse their request for money.
Unfortunately, this is a new kind of scam that has been using the power of AI to fool tens of thousands of people into sending millions of dollars to online thieves. Technology is making it easier and cheaper for bad actors to mimic voices and convince people, often the elderly, that their loved ones are in distress. See this Washington Post article for real life examples: They Thought Loved Ones Were Calling For Help…
AI technology now allow these crooks to replicate a voice with an audio sample of just a few sentences. Easily available online tools can then translate an audio file into a replica of a voice, allowing the scammer to make it “speak” whatever they type.
With scams like this on the rise, be highly vigilant of any unsolicited requests for money or personal information.