‘Afraid of AI’, says Trump as he faces potential lawsuit for sharing Taylor Swift’s deepfakes

Former President Donald Trump has discovered himself on the centre of an argument involving AI-generated pictures after sharing a doctored picture of pop star Taylor Swift. The picture, styled after an Uncle Sam propaganda poster, depicted Swift pointing on the viewer with a message urging followers to vote for Trump. The picture was posted on Truth Social, a social media platform owned by Trump.

When questioned by Fox Business about the potential for going through authorized motion from Swift, Trump distanced himself from the creation of the picture. “I don’t know anything about them other than somebody else generated them, I didn’t generate them,” Trump acknowledged. He emphasised that the picture was produced by others and expressed concern concerning the risks of AI, calling it “very dangerous in that way.”

Trump’s feedback spotlight a rising difficulty with AI-generated content material and its potential for misrepresentation. He talked about that he too has been a sufferer of AI, recounting situations the place his voice and likeness have been used with out his consent to advertise merchandise he by no means endorsed. “They’re having me speak…and I’m like endorsing other products and things. It’s a little bit dangerous out there,” Trump remarked.

The authorized implications of Trump’s actions may very well be vital, notably given Swift’s fame for fiercely defending her picture. In Tennessee, the place Swift has deep ties, the Ensuring Likeness, Voice, and Image Security (ELVIS) Act was signed into legislation earlier this 12 months. The act protects artists from unauthorized use of their likenesses and voices, which might make Trump’s sharing of the AI-generated picture a possible violation of state legislation.

Despite his public denials of involvement within the creation of the picture, as of now, the controversial put up stays seen on Trump’s Truth Social account. This ongoing scenario raises questions concerning the authorized obligations and potential liabilities of people sharing AI-generated content material, particularly when it includes high-profile figures like Swift.

Trump’s issues about AI usually are not new. In a earlier Fox Business interview, he described AI as “maybe the most dangerous thing out there” and warned of its potential to create real looking but false representations which might be troublesome to differentiate from actuality. He expressed frustration over the dearth of efficient options to deal with the misuse of AI, calling it “a tremendous problem in terms of security” and urging for speedy motion.

These statements are in stark distinction to the official stance of the Republican Party. While Trump has voiced fears concerning the risks of AI, the 2024 GOP platform features a plan to repeal President Joe Biden’s government order aimed toward making AI safer and extra reliable. The GOP platform argues for AI improvement that helps free speech and human flourishing, rejecting what they describe as “Radical Leftwing ideas” imposed by Biden’s administration.

As the controversy over AI’s function in society continues to evolve, Trump’s current experiences underscore the pressing want for clearer rules and options to deal with the moral and authorized challenges posed by this highly effective know-how. The controversy surrounding the Taylor Swift deepfake serves as a reminder of the potential penalties of unchecked AI and the complexities it introduces within the digital age.