A survey showed that a significant percentage of citizens in Russia have difficulty distinguishing between genuine online content and content created using artificial intelligence.
The Russian Knowledge Society conducted a survey of 1,600 people, in which about 46% of participants admitted that they could not distinguish between real photos, audio recordings or videos, and those created using artificial intelligence techniques.
51% of participants indicated that they were confident in their ability to detect AI-generated content, but this confidence varied according to age.
The survey results revealed that 42% of participants had previously confused AI-generated content with reality, while 36%, mostly residents of villages and small towns, those over the age of sixty, and those without higher education, confirmed that they had never encountered such a situation before.
Dmitry Rybalchenko, first deputy chairman of the association that conducted the survey, said: "A striking example of this is the story of robots collecting tree fluff. In early June, videos of robots collecting poplar tree fluff on the streets of Moscow circulated on social media. Many believed these devices were real, but it later turned out that the videos were made using artificial intelligence techniques."
He added: "Modern technologies allow for the creation of realistic content to such an extent that even experienced users may sometimes find it difficult to distinguish between reality and elaborate imitation. While the story of the fluff-collecting robots was just a joke, the inability to verify content in other cases could lead to serious consequences, such as the spread of fake news, financial losses, and reputational damage."
The survey asked participants how concerned they were about the proliferation of AI-generated content, with 47% viewing it as a problem. The fraudulent use of these technologies was the biggest concern, with 29% expressing fears that they could be used for scams, while 5% worried about their potential use to manipulate people for political purposes. Conversely, 49% of participants did not see AI-generated content as a threat.
