#188: Deepfakes: Believability, Vulnerability, Detection with Todd C. Helmus

The rise of deepfake technology has brought forth significant implications for society and human behaviour. Deepfakes, which are manipulated or synthesized media content created using artificial intelligence, can convincingly depict individuals saying or doing things they never actually did. While deepfakes hold potential for entertainment and creative applications, they also pose challenges and risks, particularly in areas such as politics, entertainment, and pornography. 

I chat with Todd C. Helmus, Senior behavioral scientist at the RAND Corporation and a nationally recognized expert on disinformation and violent extremism. He specializes in the use of data and evidence-based strategies to understand and counter disinformation and extremism. He has studied the disinformation threat posed by deepfakes, Russian-led propaganda campaigns targeting the United States and Europe, and the use of social media by violent extremist groups.