ExpressVPN found that AI technologies like deepfakes have altered viewers’ perception of reality. With the rampant spread of false news and misinformation due to technologies like deepfakes, people are bound to remember certain things differently. The phenomenon where many people misremember specific events or share a memory of something that never occurred is known as the Mandela Effect.
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
What Is Mandela Effect
The Mandela Effect is a phenomenon where people remember certain incidents in a different way than reality. However, to qualify something as a Mandela Effect, the false perception has to be present in multiple people. Deepfake technology has created a sense of disambiguation among viewers as they are consuming fake content without even realizing it. This results in a mass alteration of people’s understanding of certain events and situations.
How AI Can Alter Reality For Viewers
Many AI technologies like AR and VR are huge examples of feeding people with alternate realities. However, with these technologies, people are aware that they will be experiencing a reality that is not true or does not exist. But if we consider AI technologies like deepfake technology, it is far more dangerous for the viewers.
Not only is the AI technology based on deep learning models, but it is heavily capable of imitating human behavior to a certain extent. For example, chatbots like ChatGPT are also based on deep learning models to some extent. Similarly, deepfake technology uses deep learning models to synthesize digital media and create altered content for viewers.
When we talk about an altered perception of reality, it could be something as simple as misremembering a brand’s name or a movie’s plot. But it can also expand further to the point where people are heavily unaware of major incidents and remember them completely incorrectly. Deepfake contributes a lot to the spread of misinformation and can be used to sway people’s opinions on certain matters. It can also be said that the technology can even be used to propagate mass campaigns that can be harmful in the longer run.
AI technologies are getting harder to detect by Internet users, and this has strengthened AI’s hold on the minds of viewers. If people are unable to discern what is real or fake, they are more prone to believe what they see online without doing their research. This will eventually alter their memories to the point that what most viewers will remember will primarily be false information.
Conclusion
Certain AI technologies like deepfake are heavily responsible for altering people’s perception of certain events. Even though deepfake technology can be useful in the field of media, it is also equally dangerous. Since the technology is comparatively new, proper measures are not taken to avoid the misuse of AI technology.
Viewers need to be educated regarding the issue to be more aware while consuming content on the Internet. This can also avoid the spread of misinformation and false news if viewers have a better understanding of deepfake technology.
