Deepfake

A deepfake is fake audio, video or an image of a real person, made with AI so it looks and sounds real. It shows that person saying or doing something they never said or did. For example, your treasurer might get a phone call that sounds exactly like your executive director, asking for an urgent payment to a new supplier before the end of the day.

Why it matters

Deepfakes are used in fraud, and a small team can be fooled because people recognize and trust each other’s voices. The warning sign is an unusual or urgent request, especially one about money, passwords or private records. Agree as a team that any such request gets checked through a second channel, such as calling the person back on a number you already have or asking them in person. If you use AI tools that can make images, video or voice, ask the vendor how that content is labeled. The EU AI Act includes transparency rules that cover labeling deepfakes. If you think someone has targeted your organization this way, treat it as an AI incident and follow the steps in handling an AI incident.