If you thought AI was just coming for your job, think again! It’s now applying for it, too.
Welcome to the future of work, where your next “colleague” might be a deepfake named Ivan X, and HR’s toughest interview question is: “Are you actually a human?”
Meet Ivan X: The Deepfake Developer
Let’s set the scene: Pindrop Security, a voice authentication startup, posts a job for a senior engineer. Enter Ivan X, a Russian programmer with a résumé so perfect it practically glows. But during the video interview, something’s off—his lips and words don’t quite sync up. Turns out, Ivan isn’t just camera shy; he’s a full-blown AI-powered deepfake, complete with a fake face, fake voice, and a LinkedIn profile that’s more fiction than fact.
The Rise of the AI Job Seeker
This isn’t a one-off. According to Gartner, by 2028, one in four job candidates could be fake, thanks to generative AI’s ability to whip up convincing résumés, photo IDs, and even deepfake videos. Cybersecurity and crypto firms are especially juicy targets, but no industry is immune. Some impostors just want a paycheck; others are after your data, trade secrets, or a quick way to install ransomware before vanishing into the digital ether.
Why Is This Happening Now?
Remote Work: The pandemic made remote hiring the norm, and it’s a lot easier to fake your way through a Zoom call than a handshake.
AI Tools: Generative AI can now create entire personas—face, voice, résumé, and even a charming backstory about “passion for teamwork.”
Global Reach: Scammers from North Korea, Russia, China, and beyond are using these tricks to infiltrate companies, sometimes funneling salaries to fund less-than-friendly regimes.
The Risks: Not Just a Bad Hire
Hiring a fake employee isn’t just embarrassing—it’s dangerous. Once inside, these digital doppelgängers can:
- Steal sensitive data or trade secrets
- Install malware and demand ransom
- Funnel company funds to criminal or hostile organization
How Companies Are Fighting Back
Identity Verification: Firms are turning to advanced ID checks and video authentication to spot deepfakes before they get a company badge.
AI vs. AI: The only thing that can stop a bad AI with a fake résumé is a good AI with a deepfake detector.
What Can Job Seekers and Employers Do?
For Employers: Don’t trust, always verify. If your candidate’s video interview looks like a badly dubbed movie, dig deeper.
For Job Seekers: If you’re real, be ready to prove it. And if your résumé says you “led a team of unicorns at Google,” maybe tone it down.
The Age of Artificial Stupelligence
We’ve entered the era where AI isn’t just automating jobs—it’s automating job applications, interviews, and even the candidates themselves. The line between human and machine is blurrier than ever, and HR’s new motto might as well be: “To err is human, but to deepfake is divine.”
Next time you’re on a Zoom interview, be aware: The person on the other side might not just be lying about Excel skills; they might not even exist.
If this story tickled your curiosity about how AI can fail spectacularly, check my book Artificial Stupelligence. Packed with witty insights into the absurdities of modern tech and its unintended consequences, it’s the perfect read for anyone who enjoys laughing at our robot overlords’ growing pains!
News Source: CNBC News
