MIT AI Risk Repository · Risk Sub-Category · 46.01.01

Deception - Synthetic identities

Category: Personal Loss and Identity Theft

Open the MIT Risk Navigator All entries from Ferrara2023

Description

"GenAI can produce images of people that look very real, as if they could be seen on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, or Tinder. Although these individuals do not exist in reality, these synthetic identities are already being used in malicious activities (see Table 1D)."

From GenAI against humanity: nefarious applications of generative artificial intelligence and large language models (Ferrara2023), as extracted by the MIT AI Risk Repository (CC BY 4.0).

Classification

Domain: 4. Malicious actors
Subdomain: 4.3 Fraud, scams, and targeted manipulation
Causal entity: Human
Intent: Intentional
Timing: Post-deployment

Subdomain definition: Using AI systems to gain a personal advantage over others such as through cheating, fraud, scams, blackmail or targeted manipulation of beliefs or behavior. Examples include AI-facilitated plagiarism for research or education, impersonating a trusted or fake individual for illegitimate financial benefit, or creating humiliating or sexual imagery.

Real-world incidents in this subdomain

Browse all incidents in this subdomain

How other frameworks describe this risk

Impersonation/identity theft
A Collaborative, Human-Centred Taxonomy of AI, Algorithmic, and Automation Harms (Abercrombie2024)
IP/copyright loss
A Collaborative, Human-Centred Taxonomy of AI, Algorithmic, and Automation Harms (Abercrombie2024)
Dehumanisation/objectification
A Collaborative, Human-Centred Taxonomy of AI, Algorithmic, and Automation Harms (Abercrombie2024)
Defamation/libel/slander
A Collaborative, Human-Centred Taxonomy of AI, Algorithmic, and Automation Harms (Abercrombie2024)
Financial and business
A Collaborative, Human-Centred Taxonomy of AI, Algorithmic, and Automation Harms (Abercrombie2024)
Cheating/plagiarism
A Collaborative, Human-Centred Taxonomy of AI, Algorithmic, and Automation Harms (Abercrombie2024)
Cybersecurity
Foundational Challenges in Assuring Alignment and Safety of Large Language Models (Anwar2024)
Domain-Specific Misuses
Foundational Challenges in Assuring Alignment and Safety of Large Language Models (Anwar2024)

Other entries from Ferrara2023

Personal Loss and Identity Theft Risk Category · 2.1
Propaganda - Digital impersonations Risk Sub-Category · 4.3
Dishonesty - Targeted harassment Risk Sub-Category · 4.3
Financial and Economic Damage Risk Category · 4.3
Deception - Bespoke ransom Risk Sub-Category · 4.3
Propaganda - Extremist schemes Risk Sub-Category · 4.1
Dishonesty - Market manipulation Risk Sub-Category · 4.3
Information Manipulation Risk Category · 4.1
Deception - Information control Risk Sub-Category · 4.1
Propaganda - Influence campaigns Risk Sub-Category · 4.1
Propaganda - Influence campaigns Additional evidence
Dishonesty - Information disorder Risk Sub-Category · 4.1