A recent image created by AI technology that portrays former President Donald Trump playing basketball with a young Michael Jordan has been exposed as fake by Shayan Sardarizadeh, a journalist at BBC Verify. The photo has raised concerns about the spread of misinformation in the digital era due to its inaccuracies.

Sardarizadeh, who actively works against spreading misinformation on social media, took to Twitter to reveal the falsity of the image. He pointed out that the depicted version of Trump in the photo is much older than he would have been at the time, considering the significant age difference between the basketball icon and the former president.

This incident sheds light on the broader issue of AI-generated deepfakes and their potential impact, especially in political contexts. To address the possibility of deepfakes being utilized in political advertisements leading up to the 2024 election, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) has implemented measures. The FEC aims to regulate the deceptive use of AI in generating false claims or actions by competing candidates.

The increasing sophistication of AI techniques in fabricating photos, videos, and audio clips has made it easier to manipulate public perception. Instances of AI-generated content being employed to influence voting in the upcoming presidential election highlight the need for immediate education and regulation to prevent the misuse of AI technology in disseminating false information and shaping public opinion.