In a recent report, the World Economic Forum (WEF) has raised concerns about a significant short-term threat to the global economy – the rise of disinformation powered by artificial intelligence. The WEF warns that this tsunami of misinformation has the potential to disrupt forthcoming elections and undermine political stability on a global scale.
The annual global risks report, released by the WEF ahead of its conference in Davos next week, highlights the critical role that misleading information can play in creating social unrest and destabilizing political systems. With elections taking place this year in countries that account for 60% of the world’s GDP, including the US, India, the UK, and the EU, the impact of disinformation efforts on social order has become a pressing concern.
The connection between disinformation campaigns and social unrest will be at the forefront of discussions during the electoral process. Experts surveyed by the WEF also point to extreme weather events and climate change as the top long-term threats to global stability over the next decade.
Saadia Zahidi, the managing director of the World Economic Forum, stresses the urgency of addressing these risks. She explains that an increasingly polarized and insecure global order, coupled with the escalating impacts of extreme weather and economic uncertainty, are contributing to the rapid dissemination of misinformation and disinformation.
Meanwhile, in a related development, the popular streaming platform YouTube has announced measures to combat the spread of inappropriate and harmful content generated by AI. The platform will be using AI-driven technology to identify and remove videos that involve deceased minors or victims of well-documented violent events. This comes as part of YouTube’s updated anti-harassment and anti-cyberbullying policy, which aims to protect users from harmful AI-generated content. The new policies are set to be implemented from January 16.
As the digital landscape continues to evolve, it is crucial for organizations and platforms to address the growing threat of AI-driven disinformation effectively. Safeguarding the integrity of elections and protecting users from harmful content are critical steps in ensuring a stable and secure global economy.
The source of the article is from the blog kewauneecomet.com