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MIT AI Risk Initiative
BackFinancial and Economic Damage
Dishonesty - Targeted harassment
Deception - Bespoke ransom

Financial and Economic Damage

GenAI against humanity: nefarious applications of generative artificial intelligence and large language models

Ferrara (2023)

SourceDOI
Category
Risk Domain
4Malicious Actors & Misuse
4.3Fraud, scams, and targeted manipulation

Using AI systems to gain a personal advantage over others such as through cheating, fraud, scams, blackmail or targeted manipulation of beliefs or behavior. Examples include AI-facilitated plagiarism for research or education, impersonating a trusted or fake individual for illegitimate financial benefit, or creating humiliating or sexual imagery.

"Then, we have the potential for financial loss, fraud, market manipulation, and other economic harms, which fall under “Financial and Economic Damage.”(p. 552)

Entity: Who or what caused the harm

Human

Due to a decision or action made by humans

AI system

Due to a decision or action made by an AI system

Other

Due to some other reason or is ambiguous

Intent: Whether the harm was intentional or accidental

Intentional

Due to an expected outcome from pursuing a goal

Unintentional

Due to an unexpected outcome from pursuing a goal

Other

Without clearly specifying the intentionality

Timing: Whether the risk is pre- or post-deployment

Pre-deployment

Occurring before the AI is deployed

Post-deployment

Occurring after the AI model has been trained and deployed

Other

Without a clearly specified time of occurrence

Sub-categories (3)

Deception - Bespoke ransom

-

4.3 Fraud, scams, and targeted manipulation
OtherIntentionalPost-deployment

Propaganda - Extremist schemes

-

4.1 Disinformation, surveillance, and influence at scale
OtherIntentionalPost-deployment

Dishonesty - Market manipulation

-

4.3 Fraud, scams, and targeted manipulation
OtherIntentionalPost-deployment

Other risks from Ferrara (2023) (14)

Personal Loss and Identity Theft

2.1 Compromise of privacy by leaking or correctly inferring sensitive information
OtherOtherOther

Personal Loss and Identity Theft > Deception - Synthetic identities

4.3 Fraud, scams, and targeted manipulation
HumanIntentionalPost-deployment

Personal Loss and Identity Theft > Propaganda - Digital impersonations

4.3 Fraud, scams, and targeted manipulation
OtherIntentionalPost-deployment

Personal Loss and Identity Theft > Dishonesty - Targeted harassment

4.3 Fraud, scams, and targeted manipulation
HumanIntentionalPost-deployment

Information Manipulation

4.1 Disinformation, surveillance, and influence at scale
OtherIntentionalPost-deployment

Information Manipulation > Deception - Information control

4.1 Disinformation, surveillance, and influence at scale
OtherIntentionalOther
View all 14 risks from this paper →