2023-12-14 23:14:00
Putin talks to a double created with artificial intelligence
The president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, faced himself or, in any case, his virtual double generated thanks to “deepfake” technology, on Thursday in his big televised question and answer session with citizens.
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A student from St. Petersburg, who questioned him about the rise of artificial intelligence, appeared in the image with Putin’s features and voice thanks to a digital trick.
He also asked if it was true that the Russian president has “many doubles,” triggering laughter at the press conference.
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The student, who did not reveal his true identity, referred to recurring rumors, already denied by the Kremlin, that Putin is ill and uses doubles for some public appearances.
“I see that you can look like me and speak with my voice,” Vladimir Putin responded, visibly bewildered, to his virtual double.
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“But I have thought about it and I have decided that only one person should look like me and speak with my voice. And that person would be me,” said the president. And he added: “By the way, this is my first double.”
President Vladimir Putin spoke with Russian citizens during his usual end-of-year press conference in Moscow (Photo: EuropaPress)
Continuous rumors about Vladimir Putin’s health status and his possible use of doubles have existed for years, fueled by the rarity of his public appearances during the covid-19 pandemic.
The Kremlin regularly claims that everything is false and that the president is not sick.
“Deepfake” photos and videos are montages perfected with artificial intelligence and increasingly credible, which usually show celebrities or leaders, and represent a challenge in the fight against misinformation.
On the other hand, after the intervention of this “double” in the question session, Putin defended the development of artificial intelligence but also warned of its risks.
“Is it necessary to fear artificial intelligence? “It is impossible to prevent the development of artificial intelligence, including the superintellect that begins to feel, distinguishes smells, acquires cognitive abilities and develops itself,” he noted.
Therefore, he stated, “it is necessary to get ahead” of this new technology. “In any case, we must do everything possible to be among the leaders in this direction,” he added.
Putin at his annual press conference in Moscow (REUTERS)
At the same time, Putin admitted that one can speak of possible limitations and self-limitations in the development of artificial intelligence. “It is possible and necessary to talk about the need to somehow reach an agreement between leaders so as not to create conditions that could generate some kind of danger for humanity,” he said.
He recalled that in his time, when nuclear energy became an atomic bomb, he realized that the threats to those who possessed it increased and negotiations began. “This will surely happen with artificial intelligence,” concluded the head of the Kremlin.
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