The entire country is in turmoil due to deepfakes that create unsettling photos and videos using generative AI and distribute them across various social media platforms. Recently, this has been plastered all over newspapers and broadcasts. If you are a South Korean, regardless of age or gender, you know what deepfakes are, and the fear that anyone could be a victim washes over like a tsunami. Pornographic websites have increased more than fourfold in a year, with reports stating that nine out of ten of these cases involve deepfakes. Thus, unsettling sites are overflowing with deepfakes, and it was thought that their fear makes global citizens tremble; however, a survey from an American cybersecurity company revealed that more than half of these activities are by South Koreans. Digging deeper, it was announced that over 70% of the perpetrators are teenagers. It is truly a staggering fact.

As a result, a close acquaintance took down their photos from social media due to concern, and in places where laws are made for the country, an emergency meeting is being held to quickly create regulations. There are also reports of dedicated teams being formed to address these issues, and entertainment companies that have suffered damage are filing lawsuits claiming that their members have been victimized. Additionally, issues regarding gender, such as whether the perpetrator is male and only women are victims, have surfaced, causing conflicts between groups that was not previously anticipated. In short, it has become chaos. However, in fact, there have been similar issues before, such as the "Nth room" and "Doctor's room" incidents, and at one point, our society trembled with the fear of hidden cameras. Countless rooms were created, leading to thousands of sexual exploitation materials or hidden camera videos that have plunged many individuals' lives into hell, creating numerous perpetrators and voyeurs even among those who merely felt curiosity. This is also an incredibly ridiculous fact.

When the internet first emerged, it was the porn industry that commercially profited before the internet became a part of daily life or companies could generate revenue through it. The current phenomenon appears to be the greatest side effect that occurs inevitably at the early stage of technological advancement. This is indeed the most significant drawback of generative AI. It may seem like an incredible advancement, but generative AI is only in its second year. The ongoing competition between Microsoft and Google, the participation of countless tech companies, and the countless use cases pouring out from innumerable companies are all contributing to its use in the economy, society, culture, and education.

However, despite the aggressive investment from tech companies amounting to hundreds of billions of dollars, profitability has not been proven, and the demand for AI services among companies is said to be at a low level. Moreover, a recent report from the credit rating agency Moody’s mentioned that "big tech firms cannot avoid risks in AI investments," which implies that despite the loud noise, there are still challenges in monetizing AI, and tech companies are putting everything on the line to find breakthroughs.

Our response to such incidents includes developing and mandating access blocking technology, creating regulations, strengthening penalties, and striving to form a socially sound AI application culture. This determination to protect teenagers and make our society healthier is seen as a short but strong commitment, more robust than anywhere else in the world. If this succeeds, just as it has been verified during the internet and mobile eras, we can achieve the daily integration of AI. Therefore, this AI deepfake incident needs to be viewed more seriously, and we cannot stop believing that our current efforts must succeed.

Because the normalization of AI, which will dominate the future, provides safety and convenience to individuals, gives companies opportunities to lead global technology and generate profits, and can greatly contribute to creating an intelligent nation on a national level. Hence, the message this AI deepfake incident sends us is about "an opportunity for a leap through successful coping." (Jo Jae-hong, Professor at Gachon University Startup College)