The Release of a Fake Video of VOA Anchor Sparks Concerns Over the Use of Artificial Intelligence

The release of a fake video featuring Ksenia Turcova, an anchor for the Russian segment of Voice of America (VOA), has made headlines on social media. In this deepfake video, she appears to be discussing cryptocurrency trading software with a guest inside a studio. The AI-generated video looks very realistic, and the anchor closely resembles Ksenia Turcova in appearance, behavior, and speech. This recent video is a concerning example of AI's capability to create scenarios where real news anchors report false stories. Experts state that this alarming phenomenon increases the risk of misinformation and creates distrust in the media. The Russian service of VOA became aware of the fake video and the misuse of the VOA brand and its anchor on Facebook on Friday, November 5. In this deepfake, Turcova is promoting a commercial product instead of reading the news. When she first saw the video on Friday, it took her a moment to realize it was fake. VOA is not the only media outlet targeted by such misuse; the widespread nature of this tactic has raised concerns among AI and misinformation experts. This is a relatively new trick, but journalists from news outlets including CBS, CNN, and BBC have also been targeted by such attacks, which are typically used to spread misinformation. Turcova, originally from Moscow, worked as a journalist in Russia and Ukraine before moving to the United States to work for VOA in 2017. She expresses more concern about potential future deepfakes of herself than this specific one, which is a commercial advertisement. She added, 'What if someone fakes me saying, for example, that I support Putin's war in Ukraine, or that I support terrorist attacks? Or if there is a video with pornographic content?' According to this VOA anchor, she feels vulnerable and is worried that her reputation and credibility as a journalist could be at risk. The fake video was published on the Facebook account of the Argentine communications agency 'Digit Studio,' which appears to have been inactive since 2021. VOA cannot determine who created the video, but this Facebook account and others have since been taken down. Emily Webb, a spokesperson for VOA, stated in a release on Monday, November 8, that VOA filed a complaint with Facebook regarding the video last week but has not yet received a resolution. She added, 'We are very concerned about the threat that AI poses to VOA's mission of providing unbiased and accurate reporting.' On Monday, U.S. President Joe Biden signed an executive order establishing initial safeguards for AI companies. The White House hopes that these comprehensive regulations will provide the necessary framework for increased oversight and prevention of the misuse of AI capabilities. The White House has secured commitments from American tech giants regarding AI.