AI misuse: Sunil Mittal's voice cloned to dupe Bharti executive
What's the story
Bharti Enterprises Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal has revealed an attempted fraud against his company using artificial intelligence (AI). Speaking at the NDTV World Summit, Mittal said a scammer used AI to replicate his voice. The fraudster then called a senior executive in Dubai, asking for a huge money transfer. "It was perfectly articulated, just as I would speak," said Mittal about the AI-generated voice.
Scam averted
Alert executive thwarts AI voice cloning scam
The scam was foiled by the alert executive who immediately understood it was a fraudulent call. Mittal lauded the official's vigilance and intelligence, adding that the scam could have worked had it not been for his caution. He stressed the AI-cloned voice was so convincing it was almost identical to his own, underlining the sophistication of such scams.
Rising threat
Mittal warns of escalating AI misuse in fraud schemes
Mittal used this incident to underline the rising misuse of AI in frauds. He warned that cybercriminals are increasingly using AI tools to clone voices and fool unsuspecting people. "Anyone who would not have been vigilant may have done something about it," he warned, stressing how difficult it is to catch such scams due to the convincing nature of AI-generated human voices.
Potential misuse
AI could be used to forge digital signatures
Mittal also raised concerns about the potential misuse of AI beyond voice cloning. He suggested that AI could be exploited to forge digital signatures or create deepfake videos, possibly allowing criminals to manipulate people through virtual meetings. Despite these risks, he acknowledged the immense potential of AI for innovation and progress, calling for a balanced approach in its adoption.
AI advantage
Mittal emphasizes the importance of AI adoption
Mittal emphasized the competitive edge AI can offer to businesses and nations. He warned about the dire consequences of falling behind in AI adoption, saying, "Those companies, and nations that will not adopt AI, will be left behind." Notably, this statement reflects his faith in the need to adopt AI technology while also being wary of its potential abuse.