May 26, 2024 - 17:53
By cbc.ca

AI-powered hate content is on the rise, experts say

The clip is of a real historical event — a speech given by Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler in 1939 at the beginning of the Second World War.

But there is one major difference. This viral video was altered by artificial intelligence, and in it, Hitler delivers antisemitic remarks in English.

A far-right conspiracy influencer shared the content on X, formerly known as Twitter, earlier this year, and it quickly racked up more than 15 million views, Wired magazine reported in March.

It's just one example of what researchers and organizations that monitor hateful content are calling a worrying trend.

They say AI-generated hate is on the rise.

«I think everybody who researches hate content or hate media is seeing more and more AI-generated content,» said Peter Smith, a journalist who works with the Canadian Anti-Hate Network.

Chris Tenove, assistant director at the University of British Columbia's Centre for the Study of Democratic Institutions, said hate groups, such as white supremacist groups, «have been historically early adopters of new Internet technologies and techniques.»

It's a concern a UN advisory body flagged in December. It said it was «deeply concerned» about the possibility that antisemitic, Islamophobic, racist and xenophobic content «could be supercharged by generative AI.»

Sometimes that content can bleed into real life.

After AI was used to generate what Smith described as «extremely racist Pixar-style movie posters,» some individuals printed the signs and posted them on the side of movie theatres, he said.

«Anything that is available to the public, that is popular or is emerging, especially when it comes to technology, is very quickly adapted to produce hate propaganda.»