Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has recently revealed her unsettling experience with a sophisticated phone scam involving artificial intelligence technology. The incident highlights the vulnerabilities that even high-profile individuals face in the age of rapidly advancing digital technology.
During a public appearance, Paetongtarn detailed her encounter with the phone scam, which featured what she described as an AI-generated voice that closely resembled a well-known world leader. Speaking to CNN, she recalled the initial communication: “The voice was very clear, and I recognized it immediately. They first sent a voice clip, saying something like, ‘How are you? I want to work together,’ and so on.” She elaborated on a subsequent call where the scammer requested a donation, emphasising that Thailand was the only member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) that had not contributed yet.
The prime minister expressed her shock upon realising that the message “probably used AI to take the voice” of the unidentified leader. This incident does not occur in isolation; phone scams have proliferated in Southeast Asia, predominantly due to the activities of transnational crime groups. These groups have increasingly exploited technological advancements and regional instability, particularly the ongoing civil war in Myanmar, to create a billion-dollar scam industry.
The issue extends beyond high-profile victims; numerous ordinary people have been lured to Thailand under false pretences of employment, only to find themselves trafficked to criminal operations in Myanmar. Reports suggest that these individuals are often forced to engage in digital scams, including cryptocurrency theft.
The emergence of AI technology has raised significant concerns about the future landscape of scams. Current scams primarily utilise traditional phone calls and messaging systems, but experts warn that as AI capabilities expand, the potential for malicious use increases dramatically. For instance, OpenAI, the organisation behind the well-known generative AI chatbot ChatGPT, introduced a voice replication tool known as Voice Engine last year. However, it was not released to the public due to concerns surrounding potential misuse.
Paetongtarn, who commenced her political career in 2021 and became Prime Minister in August 2024, is the third member of her family’s political dynasty to hold the office, following her father and aunt. This situation underscores both the pervasive nature of modern scams and the necessity for increased awareness of the potentials and dangers linked with advanced technologies like artificial intelligence.
Source: Noah Wire Services