Sachin Turns Victim of A.I. Googly

Here is a prime example of how Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) can be used for malpractice and it involves none other than one of the most honest and revered sportsmen ever – Sachin Tendulkar. The legendary run-machine has cautioned his followers on social media not to be fooled by a deepfake video showing his likeness while promoting a money-making gaming app. In a nutshell, deepfakes are digitally-manipulated synethetic media, used to mislead and confound.

This particular false clip shows an intensely manipulated and realistic-looking version Tendulkar’s face and voice, stating that his daughter Sara had garnered some money by engaging with the app. Soon after the real Tendulkar came across the scam, he informed his fans on X (formally Twitter). His online alert, in turn, prompted the Mumbai police to swing into action and file an FIR. 

But the bizarre nature of this case doesn’t stop there. The cops’ initial investigation revealed that the IP (Internet Protocol) address used to upload the phoney video originates in the Philippines, no less. With regard to the ongoing case, this is what a police officer had to say to the Indian Express: “We are checking whether a VPN (Virtual Private Network), was used in order to mask the actual location from where the video was uploaded.”

For his part, the exasperated Mr. Tendulkar vented his concern in a post which read, “It is disturbing to see rampant misuse of technology. Request everyone to report videos, ads and apps like these in large numbers. Social media platforms need to be alert and responsive to complaints.” 

In response to this plea from the cricket legend, Union Minister of Electronics and Technology Rajeev Chandrashekar, gave an assurance that ‘tighter rules’ will be implemented to counter such misinformation. In recent times, there has been a mounting misuse of AI to extract money under false pretences, perpetrate identify theft or smear the image of famous personalities.