To Become Responsible Users of AI

AI. 

What are your first thoughts when you hear that “magical” initialism?

Awe. Fear. Curiosity. Ambivalence. 

All is valid. 

You might even be wondering if this article was written by AI. Trust me. It is human-written. But can you really trust me? Am I telling you the truth? Maybe. Maybe not. 

Artificial Intelligence, AI, has had an increasing presence in our daily lives. Some engage with AI, like searching Google, some take a step back from using AI in their everyday lives and use it only for specific purposes, while others deliberately distance themselves from AI at all costs. People are trying to cope with the uncertainty and fear associated with technology's dominance on their own terms by controlling their use of AI. 

The tech-panic is not new. AI is commonly associated with the advent of machines during the Industrial Revolution, when humans resisted their development, fearing that their roles would be overtaken. Although similar concerns arise today, they are much more complex as AIs are much more sophisticated than, for instance, the spinning jenny. As we strive to make sense of our current situation and evaluate our role as humans, there are important issues that warrant immediate attention. 

When used properly, AI can be an unprecedented tool with massive potential, suggesting that when used poorly, it can open doors to unforeseen threats beyond our full human capacity to envision. This is why it is paramount to establish our own rules and guidelines to protect humanity from the threats posed by AI. One such threat is exemplified in deepfakes.

As Merriam-Webster defines, a deepfake is “an image or recording that has been convincingly altered and manipulated to misrepresent someone as doing or saying something that was not actually done or said.”  There are fake speeches by political figures and celebrities, scams that imitate family members' voices to make them sound real, and photos and content that are extremely difficult to distinguish from AI-generated content. There is an arms race between AI generators and AI detectors, but detectors are not entirely reliable and often fail to keep pace with the AI generators. 

Deepfakes can cause massive harm to people’s reputations, have negative psychological effects on those affected, and spread fake news, manipulating the consumers of the content, not knowing whether or not they are consuming the “truth.” The ambiguity in all of this could lead society as a whole to eventually disregard what is even the “truth” and take the path of consuming what is most convenient and most entertaining. What is most worth the gossip? We have already seen such trends with the advent of social media, and they will only balloon with deepfakes, allowing them to spread within seconds.  

Countries around the world are taking the issue of deepfakes seriously, leading to the adoption of explicit regulations. In the United States, the TAKE IT DOWN Act was enacted on May 19, 2025, which regulates AI-generated intimate imagery. The Act prohibits the creation and distribution of deepfakes, and when online platforms are flagged for distributing such content, they are given 48 hours to remove it before facing penalties. There are mixed feelings about such regulations. Although people understand the severity of the issue and agree that the spread of intimate images, including AI-generated ones, needs to be halted immediately, overly broad regulations can still infringe on people’s First Amendment Rights (The Regulatory Review). These concerns call for a balanced approach that effectively prevents malicious use of AI while allowing people to express themselves and innovate, given the new tools freely. 

In South Korea, the government introduced a new law on January 22, 2026, called the Basic Act on the Development of Artificial Intelligence and the Establishment of a Foundation for Trustworthiness. The law broadly defines AI usage, but for deepfakes, it requires clear labelling that the content is AI-generated when it is not clear whether it is. (TechPolicyPress). There are also questions and concerns, especially from tech start-ups, that the language is so vague and that the Act is a result of pressure to be one of the first to impose regulations on deepfakes to keep pace with South Korea’s reputation as the trendsetter in the tech world. 

Given the complexity of the issue and the need for a balanced approach to regulating AI, what is our role in all of this? 

1. First and foremost, just as traffic regulations serve a purpose when people obey them, regulations exist to serve a purpose when people obey them. Ultimately, it is the users of technology who must act responsibly. Be responsible users of AI. 

2. Stay informed and educated about AI, so you don’t fall into the trap. 

3. Evaluate your own usage of AI. Are you relying on it a little too much? Have you become overly dependent on this tool that should just be a tool? 

4. Speak up when you see something. Report content that seems inappropriate. 

5. Maintain the integrity of thinking. Don’t chase after what seems to be the most convenient and easy to consume.