Dear Readers,
A short while ago, I wrote an article about Joseph Cox’s experiment, as reported in Wired magazine, where he used a synthetic voice clone to access his bank account. This experiment spotlighted the risks we face in an era where our voices can be captured, replicated, and potentially misused, especially when voice-activated security is involved in sensitive areas like banking. You can read the article HERE.
I want to bring your attention to another concerning facet of this issue.
I encourage you to watch the following YouTube video from a morning talk show in the UK. It vividly demonstrates how worryingly simple it is to capture and misuse someone’s voice, even to defraud their family members.
This video serves as a stark wake-up call, bringing the threat of voice cloning technology directly into our everyday awareness. It’s a risk we all confront in this age of sophisticated deep fakes and AI voice cloning.
Consider this:
When you receive an urgent phone call from a loved one saying they’ve lost their wallet and need money transferred immediately, how can you be certain it’s truly them and not a computer-generated voice clone? The chilling truth is it’s becoming almost impossible to differentiate.
Have a code word:
So, how can you shield yourself from such threats? One effective method is establishing a unique code word with your family members, known only to you. It’s reminiscent of the spinning top used by Leonardo DiCaprio’s character in the movie “Inception” to distinguish reality from dream. Similarly, we need our version of the spinning top in our lives – a code word that a voice clone won’t know.
You can ask for this code word if you receive a suspicious call. If the caller fails to provide it, you know it’s not genuine. While it may seem overly simplistic, it’s currently one of the most practical solutions. Always remember your code word should remain strictly confidential within your family.
Stay tuned, and talk to you soon.
All the best,
Max Roberts.