AI deepfake of AOC and Lauren Boebert angers both Democrats and Republicans

Sexualised Deepfakes of Congresswomen Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Lauren Boebert have sparked outrage from both Republicans and Democrats as yet again people point out the dangers of AI.

A sexually suggestive image of the two women have been circulating social media as bipartisan criticism of the photo emerges. One Twitter/X account wrote, "it appears both parties agree this isn't what AI was created for. This is wrong."

Even right-wing commentator Ian Miles Cheong, who has consistently expressed his dislike for AOC, pointed out the upsetting nature of the deepfake.

"These deepfakes and AI-generated pictures of real people in compromising positions are getting completely out of hand and violate every bit of bodily autonomy a person - even people you dislike - is supposed to have," he wrote.

"Soon, they'll be indistinguishable from reality. What happens then? How do you even trust what you see, or hear?" He asked.

Unfortunately, as a young woman in politics, AOC has been the victim of many misogynistic deepfakes prior to this one.

In an interview with Rolling Stone, the 34-year-old explained that seeing a deepfake of herself caused her "shock", as well as calling it "digitising violent humiliation."

"As a survivor of physical sexual assault, it adds a level of disregulation. It resurfaces trauma, while I'm... in the middle of a f**king meeting," she explained. As well as warning that the dangerous harm of AI deepfake could lead to people "kill[ing] themselves over this."

AOC is supporting a bipartisan congressional bill known as the Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits Act of 2024, which will make it easier for victims of nonconsensual AI photography to sue publishers, distributors and consumers of the deepfakes.

It was recently announced that the creation and distribution of deepfake porndeepfake porn will finally become a criminal offence in the UK.

Sign upto our free Indy100 weekly newsletter

Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

How to join the indy100's free WhatsApp channel