Why Executives Can No Longer Ignore AI-Powered Deception
Not so long ago, deepfakes represented nothing but a phenomenon on the Internet. Famous people and politicians mostly fell victim to it; hence, there was nothing to worry about. Recently, the situation has changed. Deepfake technology has become sophisticated enough to create convincing videos, sounds, and images good enough to deceive even professionals.
The situation goes beyond reputational threats when it comes to the boards and leadership teams. Deepfakes are a real governance challenge nowadays.
When trust becomes a weakness
Imagine getting a video message from the CEO demanding an urgent money transfer just before a crucial purchase deal. Or what about the board meeting in which a company executive is present at the meeting virtually, thanks to a fake video? Although this does not seem likely, the fact is that there have already been examples when companies lost money after being fooled by AI-generated audio.
The problem is not only in detecting fakes but also in underlining that previous attitudes toward trust as such are invalid. Nowadays, merely seeing and hearing the person is insufficient for establishing the authenticity of information.
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Boards need to re-evaluate how they assess risks
Cybersecurity has been focused on keeping networks, systems, and data secure, however, deepfakes present entirely new risks in that they play with human’s judgment. Hence, the discussion on governance should go further than firewalls and encryption and include executive verification, awareness of employees as well as incident response.
Some organizations are implementing secondary approval channels for transactions that cost a lot of money or some verification protocols for sensitive communications between executives. Even though it seems excessive, this approach is becoming more and more common in practice.
Building resilience against AI-created deception
There is no magic technology that could guarantee a deepfake-free industry. Being successful means combining technical measures with proper governance and involving a culture of verification in the decision-making process.
The most important change is psychological. Leaders should realize that trustworthy digital content cannot be treated as a reliable proof of something. Organizations which will come to terms with that fact will have a better chance of preserving their reputation and financial stability despite the increasing level of sophistication of AI deception.
