However, the process is not yet foolproof and many such false images leave visible signs they are fake. Blurring or flickering around a person's face is a common indicator an image has been doctored, especially when the face changes angles rapidly. Lt Gen Shanahan warns it is increasingly likely society will be influenced by false imagery, as hackers' expertise and the sophistication of AI technology increases. "Within probably 30 minutes you can get online and start developing fairly high fidelity deep fakes," he said. The General also sought to provide reassure that as AI capability developed, the US military would not seek to develop autonomous "killer robots".

A top military official has warned lawmakers not to equip the military with autonomous weapons that could go rogue. The US's second highest-ranking general said he believed humans must always be the ones to pull the trigger when it came to killing people. General Paul Selva advocated keeping the'ethical rules of war' - even if the US's enemies didn't. In June the Pentagon awarded an $11 million (£8.4 million) contract to build a'combined-arms squad' of human and robotic capabilities. The US's second highest-ranking general warned that he does not'think it's reasonable to put robots in charge of whether we take a human life' (stock image) In June the Pentagon awarded an $11 million (£8.4 million) contract to build a'combined-arms squad' of human and robotic capabilities.