Opinion: AI scam — nearly undetectable

If it is not a crime, it should be. It is not only deceptive, it is dangerous to millions of people, and it is quite believable. I found this scam on one of the news services that I receive every morning. It was mixed in with items that were probably “real” news: New information about the Epstein files; a major eatery that is closing 736 of its restaurants; Caribbean military commander who will retire; Kim Kardashian’s new lingerie look, the polar vortex, and so forth.

The headline for the one that is a scam is: “They Seem Innocent: 3 Common Foods Neurologists Now Connect to 87 percent of Dementia Cases.” Sometimes. Other times, the headline begins: “Specialists Warn…” But if you tune in a bit later, it begins with “Doctors Stunned…” And there are other headlines, each of which is designed to catch our attention with a frightening revelation. None of the other stories have changing headlines. Of course, you don’t know that unless you go back to check on the stories after you’ve consulted a site that keeps track of scams.

Infomercial

If you click on this “story,” you are taken to a video which is introduced by Anderson Cooper, a veteran newscaster who is known to millions of views. He tells of a breakthrough in the treatment of Alzheimer’s Dementia and reports that Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates has already invested $500 million in this new product. But, just telling the audience about Gates’ investment is not enough.