AI villains, data centers and deepfakes

I dread iPhone updates. Often when it happens, my favorite feature somehow gets nixed. So for this latest update, I read the fine print and learned of a security fix that protects the phone from “processing a malicious image file which may result in memory corruption.”

Apparently the villains who have terrorized the cyber world for years are now using AI to cook up images with malware baked into the cheese, so that when your phone analyzes images (as it constantly does) it fries its own memory. Turds. They probably got fired from Microsoft.

Politicians never have and likely never will be able to regulate such complex shenanigans. I hardly ever hear of someone going to jail for cyber charges. Corporations are largely tasked with self-policing, which has rendered very little justice. In December, hackers demanded a $2.8 million ransom payout (in Bitcoin) while holding hostage sensitive data from PowerSchool. They got the money. In March there was a hideous scandal in Corinth involving a teacher who used his students’ profile pics to create AI-generated child pornography. Frankly, I don’t think Jackson is aware of half the skullduggery that goes on.

And now, Tate Reeves is celebrating the groundbreaking of a second major data center, this one in Brandon. The progress is fun to watch. But I question whether Mississippi is prepared to become Silicon Valley of the South.

These facilities use ungodly amounts of electricity and water. Folks are already groaning about the looks of solar panels. What will they say when Mississippi becomes tech-heavy to the point of rolling blackouts and low water pressure? (Well, Jackson is already accustomed to the latter, to be fair—especially on game day.) But how will they feel when these massive structures are up, humming loudly day and night, spewing more hot steam into our atmosphere? The mosquitoes will love that.

Also, what about when these facilities become big fat targets? If I were a cyber thug, I might go after Rankin County before I would Pasadena. And I don’t think our legislature has a Bitcoin reserve.

I think updates are a good thing. But our leadership needs to be realistic about the terms and conditions. This is volatile stuff! We’re not talking about a sweeter breed of corn or a different way to butcher chickens. Given how fast technology is and how slow government is, verily, more preparation is in order. Watch out for the deepfakes. Read the fine print. Results will indeed vary.

David M. Chism
Lowndes County