AI Deepfakes Undermine Truth in Sports World

AI fake videos are engulfing the sports world, turning truth into a mockery. Recently, AI-generated composite videos targeting South Korean national football team coach Hong Myung-bo have emerged as a prime example online. These videos meticulously manipulate expressions and voices by overlaying fabricated actions and statements onto real footage, reaching a level of sophistication where distinguishing authenticity is difficult at first glance. A past scene where Hong Myung-bo kicked a chair in the locker room during his time at Ulsan HD, shouting 'Is this a team?' was a real video depicting team tension and leadership. However, an AI video distorted this, adding a fake narrative that Hong 'lost his composure, collapsed, and self-destructed in rage over his incompetence,' turning it into an object of ridicule.

This damage is not limited to Coach Hong Myung-bo. Statements made by Chung Mong-gyu, chairman of the Korea Football Association, regarding player appointments are being re-edited and circulated as fact, while AI videos depicting Coach Hong being hit with eggs or dancing are endlessly produced. National team captain Son Heung-min is facing difficulties due to deceptive videos using deepfakes, promoting specific investment sites or recommending gambling platforms.

The combination of these fake videos and fake news leads to the rapid spread of unverified information, such as internal team discord, player boycotts, and rumors of the coach's dismissal, circulating them like 'breaking news.' The situation has reached a point where even real footage requires an 'not AI' disclaimer, and players are expressing discomfort with unauthorized video production, raising concerns about potential negative impacts on their careers and reputations.

AI is not always used negatively. There are positive applications that offer new entertainment to fans, such as AI dance videos of Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors' Kim Young-bin, created with player consent, or examples of AI dance events featuring KCC Egis basketball players Heo Ung and Heo Hoon.

Ultimately, what matters is the way AI is used and the surrounding culture, and it is time for caution to ensure AI becomes a healthy tool in the sports world. The method of utilizing AI technology and the culture surrounding it are important. It is undesirable for AI to be reduced to a mere tool for mockery in sports. Criticism can be a driving force for sports to grow, but mockery leads to cultural regression. Society-wide vigilance and ethical awareness are needed to ensure AI can establish itself as a healthy tool.