AI is blurring the line between the news and ads

$20,000 in debt are eligible for help. The ad shows borrowers lined up for the benefit. The man, the “Forbes newspaper” he is holding and the line of people are all Al-generated, experts say.

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Despite growing criticism of what some have dubbed “AI slop,” companies have continued to launch increasingly powerful tools for realistic AI video generation, making it easy to create sophisticated fake news stories and broadcasts.

Metarecentlyintroduced Vibes, a dedicated app for creating and sharing short-form, Al-generated videos. Days later, OpenAl released its Sora app for sharing AI videos, with an updated video and audio generation model.

Sora’s “Cameo” feature enables users to insert their own image or that ofa friend into short, photo-realistic AI videos. The videos take seconds to make.

Since its launch Sept. 30, the Sora app has risen to the top of the App Store download rankings. OpenAI is encouraging companies and developers to utilize its tools to develop and promote their products and services.

“We hope that now with Sora 2 video in the [Application Programming Interface], you will generate the same high-quality videos directly inside your products, complete with the realistic and synchronized sound, and find all sorts of great new things to build,” Open AI Chief Executive Sam Altman told developers this week.

What's emerging is anew class of synthetic social media platforms that enable users to create, share and discover Al-generated content in a bespoke feed, catering to an individual's tastes.

Imagine a constant flow ofvideos as addictive and viral as those on TikTok, but it’s often impossible to tell which are real.

The danger, experts say, is how these powerful new tools, now affordable to almost anyone, can be used. In other countries, state-backed actors have utilized Al-generated news broadcasts and stories to disseminate disinformation.

Online safety experts say AI churning out questionable stories, propaganda and ads is drowning out human-generated content in some cases, and worsening the information ecosystem.