Let’s face it: TikTok‘s fast-paced, dopamine-fueled algorithm has us all obsessed. “. If you spend five minutes on the app, you’ll see it … AI-generated videos of politicians “confessing” to crimes, fake news reporters announcing the next global conflict, and even AI voice-overs announcing the “end of the world“. They spread like wildfire across TikTok because they’re so eye-catching. The problem? They are genuinely being believed.
I’ll be honest; I’ve been duped by this stuff before. AI wasn’t all that amazing five years ago, and almost no one knew what it was, which is what makes this transformation all the more believable, we aren’t used to it. TikTok is now spreading false information to users within minutes of them activating the app, according to a NewsGuard investigation, that isn’t a bug, this is a business model. TikTok is about virality, not reality.
The actual issue, though, is that a skillfully made AI video can go viral in a matter of seconds. Even the BBC “videos of Zelenski urging Ukrainian soldiers to surrender” … completely fake, showing how even respectable news outlets have fallen prey to this disaster. Millions of people viewed something that was completely phony, even when found to be fake, the harm is done.
And let’s be honest, the reason this fake news has thrived is because we enjoy it! Since the dramatic, the absurd, and the entertaining are far more enjoyable than reality, we share the content. The TikTok algorithm incentivizes this kind of behaviour. Pretending that AI isn’t an issue is just naive, because AI merely adds a layer of polish. Look at AI’s development in the past few years, chatbots, deepfakes, and picture generators. It is scaling at an unimaginable rate and it’s not slowing down. As the fakes advance, they become more accurate, quicker, and more difficult to notice.
Until platforms change their algorithms, or until we value facts over dopamine rushes (which isn’t going to happen anytime soon, spoiler alert). Fake news from AI will continue to prevail, and as AI develops, it won’t only be politicians making phony speeches; it could also be your bank “confirming” a fraudulent transaction, or your boss terminating you in a fake email.
So next time you scroll past Joe Biden “rapping” or Elon Musk “admitting” to running a pyramid scheme, remember: the danger isn’t just artificial intelligence.
It’s OUR appetite for more.
Kathrynf 
Alexander Hanjin De Filippo 
Eabha Quinn
AI is indeed very terrifying, especially how rapidly its developing these past few years. As a Tiktok user myself, I admit to falling for these AI generated fake news multiple times since they look so real and interesting. I think it’s important to be more self aware and filter the content we consume daily to avoid hoax and misinformation.
I agree, although AI is terrifying in of itself, our curiosity and entertainment as viewers also impact how it is being used.
I totally agree. As a student majoring in journalism, I deeply understand the sinful influence of AI. It destroyed the truth!