Move Over Global Disinformation Campaigns, Deepfakes Have a New Role: Corporate Spamming

Have you ever ignored a seemingly random LinkedIn solicitor and been left with a weird feeling that something about the profile just seemed…off? Well, it turns out, in some cases, those sales reps hounding you might not actually be human beings at all. Yes, AI-generated deepfakes have come for LinkedIn and they'd like to connect. DiResta, who made a name for herself trudging through torrents of Russian disinformation content in the wake of the 2016 election, said she became aware of a seeming phenomenon of fake, AI computer-generated LinkedIn profile images after one particularly strange-looking account tried to connect with her. The user, who reportedly tried to pitch DiResta on some unimportant piece of software, used an image with strange incongruities that stood out to her as odd for a corporate photo.