GOP lawmakers have sounded the alarm over the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to sexually exploit children, a problem that has become increasingly serious in recent years. In a letter sent last week to Attorney General William Barr and FBI Director Christopher Wray, 10 Republican lawmakers warned that “criminal organizations, foreign adversaries, and individual predators are using AI to evade detection and increasingly target our children.”
The lawmakers also cited recent reports of AI being used to create “deep fake” child pornography, which has raised concerns about its use to create and disseminate content that is nearly impossible to distinguish from real child exploitation material. The lawmakers asked the Justice Department to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of such crimes and called on the FBI and industry partners to study the potential of AI-based capabilities to create deep fake child exploitation material and consider how to detect and prevent it.
The lawmakers also asked for a briefing from the Attorney General and the FBI Director on the steps they are taking to address “this rapidly emerging threat.” The letter is a sign that GOP legislators are increasingly concerned about the use of AI technology to victimize children and are pushing the federal government to step up efforts to combat the problem.
