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MIT AI Risk Initiative
BackImpersonation
Misuse tactics that exploit GenAI capabi…
Appropriated Likeness

Impersonation

Generative AI Misuse: A Taxonomy of Tactics and Insights from Real-World Data

Marchal & Xu (2024)

SourceDOI
Sub-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.

"Assume the identity of a real person and take actions on their behalf"(p. 7)

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

Supporting Evidence (1)

1.
"AI robocalls impersonate President Biden in an apparent attempt to suppress votes in New Hampshire"(p. 7)

Part of Misuse tactics that exploit GenAI capabilities (Realistic depiction of human likeness)

Other risks from Marchal & Xu (2024) (22)

Misuse tactics that exploit GenAI capabilities (Realistic depiction of human likeness)

4.3 Fraud, scams, and targeted manipulation
HumanIntentionalPost-deployment

Misuse tactics that exploit GenAI capabilities (Realistic depiction of human likeness) > Appropriated Likeness

4.3 Fraud, scams, and targeted manipulation
HumanIntentionalPost-deployment

Misuse tactics that exploit GenAI capabilities (Realistic depiction of human likeness) > Sockpuppeting

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

Misuse tactics that exploit GenAI capabilities (Realistic depiction of human likeness) > Non-consensual intimate imagery (NCII)

4.3 Fraud, scams, and targeted manipulation
HumanIntentionalPost-deployment

Misuse tactics that exploit GenAI capabilities (Realistic depiction of human likeness) > Child sexual abuse material (CSAM)

4.3 Fraud, scams, and targeted manipulation
HumanIntentionalPost-deployment

Misuse tactics that exploit GenAI capabilities (Realistic depictions of non-humans)

4.3 Fraud, scams, and targeted manipulation
HumanIntentionalPost-deployment
View all 22 risks from this paper →