UAE asks public to help tackle the scourge of deepfakes

The UAE wants to help the public spot deepfakes – images or video that have been manipulated to fool the viewer.

The National Programme for Artificial Intelligence and the Council for Digital Wellbeing published a guide to raise awareness on both the harmful and useful applications of such technology.

It also tells people how to report fakes to the appropriate authorities.

Deepfakes use a form of AI called deep learning to manipulate images or video. This can create fake events that may seem very real.

The availability of large amounts of data in the form of pictures and videos has allowed AI systems to be trained to create better deepfakes. As they have become easier to produce, the potential for their misuse has grown.

Omar Al Olama, Minister of State for AI, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, said it was “imperative to focus on the positive and beneficial uses of advanced technologies” and to “raise community members’ awareness on their potential and diverse applications”.

Examples of deepfakes used for good do exist in some industries.

The guide lists medical applications, such generating new MRI images for training purposes. Synthesised audio deepfakes may be of use for someone who has lost the ability to speak because of cancer and other medical conditions that affect the vocal cords.

The UAE’s Deepfake Guide aims to help people better understand the technology and to provide advice on healthy tech habits.

The guide advises that it is “possible for a human eye to detect signs that suggest whether a video content is forged or not”.

There are six things to look out for:

1. “Irregular” or “disorganised” facial movements of the subject;

2. Variations or sudden changes in lighting;

3. If skin tone changes during the clip;

4. “Repetitive blinking or no blinking at all”;

5. Making sure the audio matches the speaker’s lip movements. A mismatch often signals the media has been manipulated; and

6. “Distortion” around the speaker’s face.

It is possible to detect a deepfake yourself, but as the technology improves this will get more and more difficult.

In time, the only way to tell the fake from the real will be with AI.

The UAE has already found that an alternative technology is the best method of detecting manipulated images.

“The most accurate approach to detect forged contents is through a systematic screening of the deepfakes using AI-based tools that need to be regularly updated,” it said.