Everyone needs to develop AI Literacy skills in order to use AI properly and increase effectiveness/efficiencies, yet another vital part of AI Literacy is to develop critical thinking and awareness skills to avoid being deceived by synthetic data such as AI created deepfakes. Cyber Magazine, an international news source, expressed the importance of this issue by stating:
Deepfakes are inevitably becoming more advanced, which is making it harder to spot and stop those that are used with bad intentions. As access to synthetic media technology increases, deepfakes can be used to damage reputations, fabricate evidence and undermine trust.
With deepfake technology increasingly being used for mal-intent, businesses would do well to ensure that their workforce is fully trained and aware of the risks associated with AI-generated content. (Jackson, 2023)
To address this important issue I have created the TRAP test:
T: Think Critically. All of us must now have a critical awareness and mindset when using any type of digital media since all digital media can now be easily manipulated and created with generative AI. When encountering any digital text, images, audio, or video we need to realize that it might not be real and it might be trying to manipulate our perception. We need to use the TRAP test to ask further questions to help ensure that we are getting the object truth.
R: Realistic/Reliable/Reputable: When using digital media or viewing a video, we need to ask ourselves the question “does this seem real and is it likely to occur?” We must also consider whether or not the source of the information is reliable and if it is coming from a reputable source. Is it from an official source, a well known news source, a government agency, or established organization? Always check the source.
A: Accurate/Authority: Check to see if all parts of the digital media are accurate. As an example, if watching a video, are all parts accurate and consistent. Are there any issues with the eyes, the background, or the light sources? Is it similar and consistent with other videos, images, or text? Additionally, has the media been released or authenticated by an authority? These questions must be verified and answered to help ensure validity and accuracy.
P: Purpose/Propaganda: When reviewing any digital media we must ask ourselves, “what is the purpose of this media? If the answer is that they are trying to get your money or to sway your vote in an election then you should be extra sure that the information is completely truthful. Ask yourself if the digital information presented is simply just propaganda, full of bias and misleading. Be sure to ask if there is more to the story that you are reading/watching.
Using the TRAP test and asking these questions will help to prevent everyone from being scammed and/or deceived. Students, faculty, and everyone must develop AI Literacy skills like these.
All aspect of this defined AI Literacy are important (Anders, 2023), but Awareness and Critical Thinking are key in developing the proper mindset to use the TRAP test. This is something that must be continually developed and used in order to ensure its greatest effectiveness.
All of us in academia must work to ensure that student and everyone else develop these skills to use AI in the right way and be able to properly spot AI deepfakes and avoid being deceived. Please share this information with colleagues, students, family, and friend; especially the elderly who can at times be even more vulnerable. Together we make a major difference and improve our new world filled with AI.
A video describing the TRAP test is also available on the Sovorel Educational YouTube channel:
Please share your thoughts and comment below:
References
Anders, B. (2023). The AI literacy imperative: Empowering instructors & students. Sovorel Publishing.
Jackson, A. (2023, October 13). The rising tide of deepfakes as AI growth cause concern. Cyber Magazin, Technology: AI. https://cybermagazine.com/technology-and-ai/the-rising-tide-of-deepfakes-as-ai-growth-cause-concern