Erecting the ethical boundaries of AI

The line between science fiction and reality is blurring as advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) redefine what's possible. One recent trend has ignited controversy: using AI to "resurrect" deceased celebrities. Some content creators are leveraging AI to bring back the deceased, raising concerns about ethics and respect in the process.

While some internet users claim nostalgia and love for the deceased motivate these actions, many others condemn the practice as disrespectful and exploitative. The rapid evolution of AI, particularly generative AI, has the potential to unlock innovation. However, the commercialization of "AI resurrection" services raises ethical red flags. Some online shops offer these services for as low as 10 yuan (US$1.4), and some have sold hundreds of copies.

There's a critical distinction between using AI to recreate a loved one's image and voice for personal solace and exploiting celebrities and public figures without their family's consent. Musician Bao Xiaobai, for instance, used AI to "resurrect" his daughter, granting her a form of "digital immortality" that has allowed him to find closure and heal. Yet, "resurrecting" celebrities and other public figures without consent poses a significant risk of emotional harm and may constitute a violation of personal privacy, regardless of whether such an act is aimed at making money.

Many families of deceased celebrities view AI resurrections with disapproval and even anger, perceiving the process as an intrusion into their privacy that reopens emotional wounds. Grieving is a personal journey that demands respect and time. Unauthorized digital representations disrupt the delicate balance families strive for and have the potential to plunge them back into grief.

The unauthorized use of AI to "resurrect" and publicize the deceased's image and voice without family consent violates social ethics and morals, and it may potentially breach legal boundaries. The Civil Code grants the deceased's spouse, children, and parents the right to pursue legal action against those infringing upon the deceased's name, likeness, reputation, honor, privacy, and remains. Unscrupulous businesses that exploit this technology for profit face the prospect of being sued by the deceased's families.

Hazards from the misuse of AI and crimes enabled by AI have just begun to emerge. 

An investigation by a U.K. media organization published last week found that hundreds of female British actors, TV stars, musicians, YouTubers, and journalists have fallen victim to deepfake pornography. At least 250 British celebrities appear in deepfake videos in which their faces are superimposed onto pornography using AI, according to the investigation by Channel 4 News.

In 2021, a Taiwanese YouTuber was arrested on suspicion of using AI face-swapping technology to synthesize pornographic videos and selling them. He allegedly "grafted" the faces of as many as 119 female internet celebrities onto the bodies of adult film actresses.

Some reports say that over 96% of the applications of deepfake technology are related to producing pornographic films. Furthermore, 99% of deepfake pornographic films that involve face-swapping specifically target women.

In June last year, the Supreme People's Court, the Supreme People's Procuratorate, and the Ministry of Public Security published the Guiding Opinions on Legally Punishing Illegal Crimes of Internet Violence. Using deepfake to spread porn is specifically listed as a crime that needs to be dealt with heavy-handedly.

As AI unlocks new possibilities and conveniences, its use must not transgress legal norms or infringe upon others' rights. Many politicians, business leaders, and scientists, including U.N. chief António Guterres, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, have called for better governance of AI. It is time for world leaders to set up specific bodies to find ways to ensure that AI is used for good, and not for evil.

(The author is a deputy editor-in-chief of Shenzhen Daily.)