AI deepfakes on the rise in Alberta as police warn parents to stay vigilant [Video]

As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to develop and become more accessible, law enforcement and other crime agencies, including those in Alberta, are warning about the rapid rise of deepfakes involving sexually explicit images and videos of children.

Deepfakes are videos, images or audio recordings that can look and sound realistic but have been generated or altered using AI technology.

Cybertip.ca, a Canadian tip line for reporting the online sexual exploitation and abuse of children, has processed close to 4,000 sexually explicit deepfake images and videos of children and youth in the past year across the country.

Alberta’s Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) Unit, under the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT), says the issue is prevalent and growing across the province.

“It’s just the tip of the iceberg of what we’re starting to see,” said Cst. Heather Bangle with the ICE Unit.

“I don’t think we’ve even begun to see how …