Fast-paced changes in the digital world present a myriad of opportunities, alongside formidable challenges. Among these challenges, deepfakes have emerged in the form of a silent pandemic threatening not only our digital integrity but becoming a major risk to anti-money laundering (AML) efforts.

Deepfakes were initially developed as sophisticated tools capable of mimicking the details of human expressions, voice tones, and even writing styles. The concept can be traced back to the 1990s, when researchers began experimenting with computer-generated imagery to create realistic digital characters. They became popular for their entertainment value that enabled users to superimpose faces onto actors in movies just for fun.

The first widely recognized deepfakes appeared in 2017, when a Reddit user named “deepfakes” began posting manipulated videos of celebrities. Later, some ill-natured persons started negative use of deepfakes, jeopardizing the trust we have in digital media.