MGM China has been forced to speak out after a deepfake video of its Chairperson, Pansy Ho, emerged offering a fictitious investment plan.
The casino operator confirmed that it and Ho have no connection with the “entirely fraudulent” scheme being offered in the video, and warned the public to use the “utmost vigilance”.
A company release stated: “MGM China reiterates that neither the Company nor Ms Pansy Ho has at any time been involved in, authorised, or endorsed the purported investment plan featured in the deepfake video.
“The video was neither created nor released by the Company or Ms Pansy Ho. MGM China condemns these acts of impersonation and misrepresentation in the strongest terms and reserves all legal rights against the parties involved, to protect our rights and interests.”
As AI technology continues to evolve, this latest story follows in the wake of high-profile incidents that have highlighted the dangers of deepfakes for the general public.
Last year, AI-generated explicit images of Taylor Swift spread on X before being reported by fans, one of which racked up over 47 million views before being removed.
The voice of Swift, alongside those of other celebrities such as TV personality Steve Harvey and podcaster Joe Rogan, were also used to promote a scam that promised people money from government funds.
“I prided myself on my brand being one of authenticity, and people know that, and so they take the fact that I’m known and trusted as an authentic person, pretty sincere,” Harvey told CNN at the time of the incident.
To prevent the further spread of misinformation, MGM has urged internet users to stop sharing the video and warned of legal consequences for “disseminating such fraudulent content”.
AI in the spotlight
The deepfake video highlights the potential danger of AI as it becomes more widely used in gaming and wider society.
The future of the technology was under the microscope at the recent SBC Summit in Lisbon, and experts warned that while the excitement around its prospects is undeniable, a human touch must remain to retain balance.
Phyllyp Sedicias, Country Director for Click Hunters, highlighted that because of the sheer speed of AI, supervision is nothing short of essential, as mistakes can significantly snowball without detection.
André Sapuca, Principal Product Manager at BetMGM Brazil, echoed these words, warning that when AI is prompted poorly, errors will inevitably surface.
Sapuca noted that he has seen issues ranging from bonus offers to social media posts that simply didn’t make sense.
“It was obvious the content had been generated by AI, but what was more concerning was the lack of oversight – raising the question of whether anyone had properly proofed the material before publishing,” he said.
