The Evolution of Bad Actors’ Use of Generative AI
The rapid advancement of generative AI has opened up new opportunities for bad actors to exploit unsuspecting consumers. Over the past few months, we have witnessed the increase in scams where individuals receive calls from AI-cloned voices of their family members in distress, requesting money to resolve imagined perilous situations. These scams, commonly referred to as the ‘imposter grandchild’ scam, have primarily targeted older adults who may be more vulnerable to manipulation. Unfortunately, this is just the beginning as bad actors are expected to evolve their tactics and target bigger and more lucrative paydays. In the coming year, we anticipate more sophisticated AI voice cloning scams aimed at executives and financial services firms. This could have dire consequences if not addressed proactively.
Setting Concrete Guardrails for AI Regulation
In response to the growing concerns regarding the misuse of AI, regulators are taking action to establish clear guidelines and regulations. In October 2024, the Biden Administration issued an executive order aimed at promoting the safe and secure development and use of AI. Additionally, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has initiated an inquiry into the impact of AI on robocalls and robotexts. The goal is to strike a balance between fostering AI innovation and protecting individuals from malicious uses of the technology. Regulators are now focusing their efforts on understanding the specific risks and vulnerabilities associated with AI, allowing for more targeted and effective regulations. These measures aim to create an environment in which AI can flourish while safeguarding consumers.
Using AI to Restore Trust in the Voice Channel
One of the significant challenges posed by bad actors’ use of AI is the erosion of trust in the voice channel. When individuals are deceived by AI-generated voices, their trust in telecom providers, policymakers, and regulators is compromised. To address this issue, telcos are leveraging AI-powered solutions to restore trust in the voice channel. Voice biometrics, for example, uses real-time AI to analyze the voice, tone, and diction of callers, thereby differentiating between real callers and robocalls. Predictive AI-powered call analytics help carriers detect patterns and protect subscribers from bad actors. By gaining a deeper understanding of how generative AI is used by scammers, telcos can proactively combat this threat and restore customer confidence.
AI’s Impact on Customer Support Lines
Customer support lines have long been a source of frustration for consumers. Endless prompts and ineffective assistance have often left customers dissatisfied. However, AI has the potential to transform this experience. Generative AI, in particular, can streamline customer support by replacing complex prompts with a simple description of the problem. This allows customers to be directly routed to the appropriate person or content, saving time and reducing frustration. Telcos can also leverage generative AI to enhance their own customer service efforts. Subscribers can interact with chatbots and describe their technical issues, which can then be automatically diagnosed and resolved using the power of AI.
The Weaponization of AI in the 2024 Election
As we approach the 2024 presidential election, the risk of AI being weaponized for disinformation campaigns becomes a significant concern. Bad actors may use AI to clone candidates’ voices, creating audio clips that solicit money or spread false information. Additionally, AI could be utilized to misdirect voters to incorrect polling places, leading to voter suppression. Robotexts, another campaign tool commonly used by candidates and parties, are also vulnerable to AI manipulation. Telcos will need to enhance their AI capabilities to detect and prevent machine-generated political text messages from reaching the intended recipients. The incorporation of AI into spam detection services will play a vital role in ensuring a fair and secure election process.
Analyst comment
Positive: Setting Concrete Guardrails for AI Regulation
As regulators establish clear guidelines and regulations for AI, it will promote safe and secure development and usage of AI while protecting individuals from malicious uses.
Neutral: Using AI to Restore Trust in the Voice Channel
Telcos leveraging AI-powered solutions to restore trust in the voice channel will help combat scammers but may not have a significant impact on the overall market.
Positive: AI’s Impact on Customer Support Lines
AI has the potential to streamline the customer support experience, improving customer satisfaction and potentially leading to more efficient operations for telcos.
Negative: The Weaponization of AI in the 2024 Election
The risk of AI being weaponized for disinformation campaigns and voter suppression poses a significant concern for the integrity of the election process. Telcos will need to enhance their AI capabilities to prevent such misuse.
Overall, the market is expected to see increased regulation and guidelines for AI usage, potential advancements in customer support services, and the need for improved AI capabilities to combat misuse in elections.
