Deepfakes Are Getting Scarier - Here's What to Expect in 2024

The world of deepfakes is evolving at a crazy fast pace, and experts warn things are only going to get weirder over the next couple of years. In 2024, AI has and continues to get more sophisticated, and manipulated videos are almost impossible to distinguish from real ones.

The people creating deepfakes, whether it’s hackers or scammers, are getting much better at making them look totally authentic. Pretty soon even the most high-tech tools won’t be able to tell if a video of a public figure has been doctored.

And it won’t just be famous folks. The average person like you online could find themselves deepfaked too.

Financial scams are one of the biggest risks, like a fake video of your boss or business partner asking you to transfer funds. So how do we even begin to deal with this problem?

Dealing with Deepfakes when Consuming Content

The best thing we can do is be super skeptical of anything we see online. Don’t automatically believe videos without fact-checking from trusted news sources. And remember that AI is getting so good at tricking people.

Social media platforms will keep working on filters, but not everything will get caught. We need to think harder about verifying that videos are real. New ideas like digital watermarks or blockchain records might help prove where the media came from.

Tips for Entrepreneurs

Deepfakes are becoming more advanced every day, so as a business owner, you need to be proactive in safeguarding your brand. Here are a few things you can do:

1. Be wary of all online media. Scammers may try to use deepfakes to impersonate you or your employees in phishing schemes or fake promotions. Don’t click any suspicious links without verifying the source through your official channels first.

2. Closely monitor your company’s social profiles and online presence. Set up Google alerts for your business name so you know right away if any manipulated media surfaces. Quickly report and have deepfakes removed.

3. Consider digital signatures for important documents and communications. Things like contracts, invoices, and emails could potentially be deepfaked, so add digital watermarks or blockchain verification to prove authenticity down the line.

4. Train your staff. Make sure employees know the risks and how to spot potential deepfakes. Warn them not to make important decisions or wire funds based on videos alone without additional verification steps.

5. Get ahead of the issue through your public relations. Address deepfakes directly on your website or in materials. Explain the security measures you have in place and how customers can be sure any interactions with your brand are real.

It’s definitely unsettling to think about the future of deepfakes. But if we work on media literacy and developing solutions together, maybe we can avoid the worst of what these manipulated videos have in store for 2024. Staying one step ahead means not taking anything at face value.

Also, as an entrepreneur, your reputation is everything. So, stay vigilant against deepfake deception and make sure your business is protected from this emerging threat. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure when it comes to deepfake damage control.