BELLINGHAM, Wash. — A detective in Whatcom County has filed a $30 million tort claim alleging that a fellow detective created an AI-generated sexual video involving her.
Detective Derek Jones is accused of fabricating images of the female detective performing sexual acts and sharing the video with the entire unit and patrol officers.
Sheriff Donnell Tanksley stated that accountability is paramount and has opened two investigations into the matter.
John Rizvi, a professor at Nova Southeastern Law School, emphasized the potential harm of AI, stating, “AI is can clearly be used for a lot of good, but there’s potential harm.”
The tort claim, obtained by KIRO 7 News, details that the video was created while Detective Jones was on duty and shared widely within the department.
The female detective alleges that the incident is part of a long-standing hostile work environment.
Sheriff Donnell Tanksley has opened two investigations into the allegations of harassment and discrimination.
The Attorney General’s Office has created a task force to address the misuse of AI, which can lead to severe penalties, including jail time and fines.
Rizvi also highlighted the difficulty in distinguishing real videos from AI-generated ones, stating, “Like this isn’t even real. And it’s getting harder and harder for somebody to look at video and tell whether it’s real or it’s AI generated.”
A legal expert mentioned the upcoming ‘Take It Down Act,’ which will require AI platforms to remove deepfakes within 48 hours, though it won’t be effective until next year.
Rizvi suggested that technology companies should implement a watermark or indication on AI-created videos to ensure accountability.
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