Artificial intelligence is making it easier to create realistic images, voices and videos, but the same technology can also create serious problems for artists and public figures whose identities are used without their permission.
For years, creating a convincing fake image or video required expensive software and technical knowledge.
Today, artificial intelligence is changing that.
A person can potentially create an image of someone wearing clothes they have never worn, standing somewhere they have never visited or appearing to say something they never said.
For musicians and other public figures, the consequences can be particularly serious.
An image can spread across Facebook, TikTok, WhatsApp and other platforms within minutes.
By the time the person pictured discovers it, thousands of people may already have seen it.
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Zambia has recently seen an example of the potential seriousness of AI-generated material.
The Zambia Police Service said it was investigating an identity theft and impersonation case involving an image suspected to have been AI-generated, depicting local musician Charles Chomba wearing a Zambia Army uniform bearing the rank of Brigadier General.
Police said a suspect had been detained in connection with the case.
The incident has highlighted concerns around digitally manipulated content involving defence and security institutions.
But the problem can extend beyond military imagery.
Imagine an AI-generated video showing an artist appearing to insult another musician.
Or a fake photograph making it appear that an artist attended an event.
Or an artificial voice being used to make someone appear to endorse a product.
If viewers believe the material is genuine, the consequences can affect reputations, relationships and careers.
The biggest challenge is that fake content does not always look fake.
Some AI-generated material contains obvious visual mistakes, but increasingly sophisticated tools can produce content that appears convincing at first glance.
This is why social-media users need to slow down before sharing shocking content.
Who posted it first?
Is the artist’s official account carrying the same information?
Has a credible media organisation reported it?
Does the video contain strange movements, unnatural speech or inconsistencies?
Most importantly, is there independent evidence that the event actually happened?
For artists, protecting their digital identity may become an increasingly important part of managing their careers.
For fans, verification is equally important.
A viral post is not automatically a true post.
And a convincing video is not automatically evidence that the person in it actually said or did what appears on screen.
As AI technology continues to develop, the ability to identify manipulated content may become just as important as the ability to create it.
The question for Zambia’s entertainment industry is therefore no longer simply how artists can use AI to promote their music.
It is also how they can protect themselves when someone else uses AI against them.
