Deciphering Deception - The Impact of AI Deepfakes on Human Cognition and Emotion

¹ Purdue University Global, West Lafayette, IN, USA, 47906.
² University of Texas, Tyler, Texas, USA, 75799.
* Corresponding author. Email: jamshirqureshi@alumni.purdue.edu, drsaminakhan19@gmail.com.
Manuscript submitted March 18, 2024; revised March 27, 2024; accepted April 16, 2024

Abstract—Deepfakes, AI-generated media that are hyper-realistic, pose a significant challenge to human information processing. The exposure to deepfakes can impact cognition and emotions, potentially reshaping perception, trust, and social interactions. This research aims to understand how deepfakes affect perception, attention, memory, decision-making, and emotional responses, and how individual differences influence susceptibility. In the digital age, the unprecedented abundance and accessibility of information have led to vulnerability, especially with the emergence of deepfakes. These synthetic media creations threaten the fundamental trust and integrity of information sources and have infiltrated various domains, blurring the lines between truth and fabrication. The research objectives include investigating the impact of exposure to deepfakes on cognitive functions, elucidating the emotional responses elicited by deepfakes, evaluating the role of individual differences in mediating the impact of deepfakes, and developing a comprehensive framework for understanding the influence of deepfakes on the human brain. The expected results of this research include insights into the specific cognitive and emotional processes altered by deepfakes, the neural circuitry involved in detecting and responding to deepfakes, and the influence of individual differences on susceptibility to deepfakes. By deciphering the impact of deepfakes on the human brain, this research will offer valuable tools for mitigating the harmful consequences of misinformation and promoting responsible use of this powerful technology. Understanding how deepfakes manipulate our cognitive and emotional landscape is a critical step towards ensuring a future where truth prevails in the digital world.

keywords—AI deepfakes, human cognition, emotion, perception, decision-making, neuroimaging, psychophysiology, behavioral analysis, individual differences, misinformation, ethical implications.

Cite: Jamshir Qureshi, Samina Khan"Deciphering Deception - The Impact of AI Deepfakes on Human Cognition and Emotion," Journal of Advances in Artificial Intelligence vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 101-107, 2024.

Copyright © 2024 by the authors. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited (CC BY 4.0).