Fake AI Content Is Everywhere. Here’s How Smart Companies Are Fighting Back

Protecting brand trust in the AI era 

Trust is your most important asset. If users begin to assume that anything they see online is fake, confidence in your brand declines.  

Unfortunately, stopping fake content is a game of whack-a-mole. Even when you or your legal team send a takedown notice to a platform, another version of the same content can appear within hours. 

That’s why, as a Century City media, business, and technology attorney focused on the intersection of law, media, and technology, I advise brands on how to stay ahead of the AI curve. 

Below are three things you can do to prepare for the use of fake media. 

Limit your exposure

Make it harder for scammers to fake your content. Deepfakes require training data, specifically clean audio and high-definition video of your executives or spokespersons. You can limit your exposure by auditing your content. 

• Conduct executive footprint audits. Review all your public recordings of yourself and your team to limit exposure. This includes keynotes, earning calls, or podcast appearances. When possible, restrict public access to video and audio archives. 
• Employ continuous AI identity monitoring. Use automated web-crawling tools like BrandShield, ZeroFox, or Ceartas. These tools scan social platforms, ad networks, and domain registrars for the unauthorized use of your executive faces, voices, and corporate trademarks. The sooner you know, the less damage is done to your brand. 

Update your contracts to mitigate legal risk 

Have your marketing and legal teams update all talent, agency, and endorsement contracts to stop AI media fraud when it happens. 

• Add explicit “synthetic” use clauses. Define who owns the rights to create, train, or distribute a spokesperson’s or executive’s voice and likeness. 
• Include an obligation to report. Require your brand partners and influencers to immediately notify your company if there is evidence of someone misusing their likeness in connection with your brand. 

Build a fast-track response playbook.  

Be prepared to act quickly when someone targets your brand with fake content. The faster you act, the less damage the content will cause your brand. 

• Pre-draft incident statements. Create emergency communication templates for you or your public relations teams to debunk fake content before any market or consumer panic spreads. 
• Establish direct escalation contacts. Create contact lists for the legal teams of social platforms so you can take down the fake content as soon as you learn of it. 

Fake content is everywhere, but you can limit how it affects your consumer’s confidence and brand equity. The companies that prepare now will be better positioned to protect their brand.