Fraudsters use AI to impersonate African Union chief Moussa Faki
2023-10-18
Daily Monitor
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Fraudsters used AI-powered deepfake technology to impersonate African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki, faking his voice and video in calls and emails to European leaders. This cyberattack enabled phishing attempts and posed significant risks to diplomatic security and trust between international entities.[AI generated]
Why's our monitor labelling this an incident or hazard?
The event explicitly describes the use of AI systems (deepfake technology) to impersonate a person and conduct phishing attacks, which have directly led to harm by enabling cybercrime and potential identity theft. The AI system's role is pivotal in enabling the fraudsters to convincingly fake voice and video calls, causing harm to the African Union and potentially to the targeted individuals and institutions. This meets the criteria for an AI Incident as the harm is realized and directly linked to the AI system's use.[AI generated]