Blockchain could help stop “out-of-control” artificial intelligence (AI) being abused by Vladimir Putin to spread fake news about the war in Ukraine, an expert has claimed.
The sophistication of AI technology has grown exponentially in recent months, following the rise of programmes like ChatGPT.
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It’s helped some people speed up work processes and plan their holidays, but it has also been used to spur on fake news – which has prompted the US, EU and UK to look for ways to rein it in.
Blockchain is the technology behind cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin.
It’s described as an open-source ledger of information, which could be one way of making more AI transparent if the pair were combined, according to Stefania Barbaglio, a London-based entrepreneur and technology expert.
Speaking to The Sun, Barbaglio said: “[AI] will find information on whatever you ask – think the war in Ukraine, Donald Trump or North Korea – but will not verify if it is accurate or genuine.
“All it will see is that this information is out there and is being shared. This is where it is dangerous because it can amplify fake news and conspiracy theories.
“For example, if Vladimir Putin starts spreading fake news about Ukraine, AI would find it, quote it and take it as read.
“Vitally, it would never try and discover if what was being said was true.”
This is where blockchain would come in, Barbaglio explained, adding a layer of transparency by finding the original source of the information.
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“Seeing this would make it much easier to verify if it came from a reputable source or an anonymous Twitter account created two days ago,” she continued.
“If people can see this it makes it harder to spread fake news.
“This is why it is so important that tools like blockchain are brought in to add layers of transparency and accountability to AI.”
But first, humans need to train AI to operate safely, she said.
“How and who most importantly trains the AI models is the key question,” Barbaglio added.
“We need transparency on that to make sure we are fair tools. Decentralised AI is the ultimate goal but we are far away from this.”
Beyond fake news, integrating blockchain and AI might also help quell the rise in so-called deepfakes – AI-generated fake pictures and videos – which are increasingly being used to scam victims out of money.
“It’s going to be even more difficult for older people to know if they are real because the technology has made it so much easier to be convincing,” she explained.
“Scammers will try and convince them to hand over their money and may use AI to look genuine.
“Until there is regulation, what is there to stop them from doing this?
“That’s why we should be scared. It is a massive problem, and I think blockchain is the solution.”
A spokesman for cryptocurrency exchange Binance backed Barbaglio’s claims and said that transparency makes crypto “what it is”.
“We are open so anyone can see every exchange that has ever been made on Binance,” they said.
“When crypto started to become mainstream critics said that people would never buy into it because a central bank didn’t back it.
“They couldn’t have been more wrong and the openness that blockchain gives can be used for good across multiple platforms, including AI.”
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