A report published Tuesday by UNESCO concludes that AI could
result in false and misleading claims about the Holocaust spreading online,
either because of flaws in the programs or because hate groups and Holocaust
deniers will intentionally use AI programs to generate content that falsely
calls into question the murder of Jews and other groups by the Nazis.
One of the biggest concerns is that AI could be used to
create so-called deepfakes of the Holocaust — realistic images or videos that
could be used to suggest the Holocaust didn’t happen or was exaggerated. That
could lead to greater antisemitism and a lack of understanding of a key moment
in 20th-century history. The report noted that some AI-assisted programs allow
users to interact with simulated historical figures, including prominent Nazis
like Adolf Hitler.
“If we allow the horrific facts of the Holocaust to be
diluted, distorted or falsified through the irresponsible use of AI, we risk
the explosive spread of antisemitism and the gradual diminution of our
understanding about the causes and consequences of these atrocities,” Audrey
Azoulay said in a statement accompanying the report.
Widespread use of AI for assistance in education, research
and writing are increasing the likelihood that unreliable data and artificial
intelligence “hallucinations” could increase public misunderstandings about the
Holocaust, even inadvertent ones. AI programs whose understanding of the world
is based on relatively narrow sources can also return incomplete or misleading
responses when asked about the Holocaust.
UNESCO’s report called on tech companies to establish
ethical rules for the development and use of AI, to reduce the chances of
unreliable information and to prevent bad actors from harnessing their programs
in order to encourage violence and to spread lies about the Holocaust.
The report was published In partnership with the World
Jewish Congress.