With deepfake audio, that familiar voice on the other end of the line might not even be human

AI software capable of cloning voices is proving a useful weapon for fraudsters. Deepfake technology has been around for a few years. Deepfake technology uses artificial intelligence (AI) software to make convincing impersonations of voices, images, and videos. With deepfake audio, that familiar voice on the other end of the line might not even be human. Deepfakes audio run on neural networks. Deepfakes have brought with them a new level of uncertainty around digital media. The use of AI to generate deepfakes is causing concern because the results are increasingly realistic and cheaply made with freely available software. Deepfakes audio are extremely difficult to catch red-handed.

Deepfake Audio Scams Soon:

Deepfakes, both audio and video, have been possible only with the development of sophisticated machine learning technologies in recent years. These audio deepfakes impersonations have received less media attention than their video counterparts but criminals have recognized their potential as a tool of deception.  There are plenty of possibilities when it comes to manipulating and exploiting media to get a specific message out in the world.

Audio deepfakes are still largely in their experimental stage, with criminals still appearing to dabble with open-source versions of the software. To detect deepfakes, many researchers have turned to analyzing visual artifacts minute glitches and inconsistencies. The goal is to get the victim to not pay attention to, or not give as much credence to, gaps or flaws in the impersonation.

There are several ingredients needed to make an audio deepfake. It was common for deepfake audio to result in vocal tracts with the same relative diameter and consistency as a drinking straw, in contrast to human vocal tracts, which are much wider and more variable in shape. From deepfake technology to phishing attacks, scams are growing increasingly difficult to discern with the naked eye.