How to Find and Fight Deepfake AI Threats to Your Construction Company

Industry leaders have implemented AI into internal company policies and workflows to increase efficiency, reduce human errors and monitor quality control. As AI becomes the new normal, leaders must also be prepared for the challenges and risks that AI could create, specifically in the form of deepfakes.

Deepfakes are AI-generated videos, audio clips, photos, text messages and other media designed to deceive the audience which can create and introduce several new threats and risks for construction companies. They can be created for many nefarious reasons, such as an effort to gain a competitive advantage over another business. For example, if a bad actor is competing for a new project and is fearful that another company might win the desirable contract, a deepfake can be created and shared before a selection is announced.

Or imagine if a deepfake audio recording surfaces that sounds exactly like a CEO admitting that they lied about a project timeline or ethically sourced materials. An AI tool called Sora created by Open AI is an AI model that can create realistic and imaginative videos from simple text instructions. When Sora was launched, one of the first deepfake examples it shared was of an active construction site. One sentence is all it can take to transform a generic video into a misleading deepfake. Imagine if someone used text instructions to add a worker wearing a shirt with a company name on it doing something inappropriate.

If the deepfake circulates and the selection committee sees it, the odds of that company being chosen for the contract can decrease significantly. By the time the video is proven fake, the reputation of the company may be damaged and the contract lost. Scenarios like this are incredibly damaging to businesses, and leaders must be aware of them so they can help their companies properly prepare and respond in case they are targeted.

Think the risks don’t apply to the construction sector? Think again.

LOSS OF CONTRACTS

Many companies secure contracts based on track record and reputation. The circulation of a deepfake suggesting improper safety protocol, lying about deliverables or even a CEO portrayed in a bad light can hinder the ability of construction companies to secure project contracts. Without new contracts, business can take a downward turn, leaving companies with a decrease in income and loss of stability.

DELAYED PROJECTS

Imagine if an upset community member wants a project stopped so they create a deepfake image showing skeletal remains on the jobsite or release a deepfake video of crew members violating safety protocols. Timeline disruptions can cause major cost losses. Even if a video is proven to be false, the odds of having to put a project on hold for a few days to a few weeks is likely. It can take weeks to prove a deepfake is false if a company is not prepared with the proper resources to do so.

LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT ISSUES

Think current or potential employees will want to work for you if they hear a deepfake audio recording of a project manager making racist and inappropriate comments? The perception of an unsafe or unwelcoming work environment will deter potential talent from applying to open positions. Other scenarios include deepfakes that exhibit concerns about low compensation, lack of benefits, poor company culture, low growth opportunities or even leadership concerns.

INCIDENT/SAFETY INVESTIGATIONS

Safety investigations can cause loss of contracts, timeline delays, legal issues and more. All it takes is one disgruntled employee to manipulate a video from a jobsite that appears to show a safety hazard, such as uncontrolled blowing dust that reduces worker visibility without any mitigation efforts. Maybe the employee just wanted an excuse not to come to work the next day or perhaps they made the video for their own entertainment purposes, but now the company is facing fines and a potential investigation.

PREPARING FOR CRISIS

Understanding potential risks and new challenges that have become relevant in the age of AI is important for leaders in the construction industry. Construction companies can combat the risks of deepfake attacks by implementing a few strategies.

Companies should also work with their IT teams to offer accessible employee training on how to identify deepfakes and steps that should be taken if an employee believes a piece of media is fake. In the digital age, media can spread quickly through social channels. Employees will most likely be the first to notice a deepfake and will be the first to deal with questions from customers or clients when a crisis happens. Creating a procedure for employees to follow in the scenario of a deepfake attack will raise internal awareness of possible risk and empower employees to take the right steps in the case that the crisis occurs.

Updating the crisis communications playbook to include potential responses to deepfake threats is another crucial part of a company's defense against deepfakes. This can include implementing deepfake-detection software or making third-party sources readily available. If a deepfake crisis happens, companies must be able to have independently verifiable proof that a piece of media is fake. Simply claiming something is not real won’t be enough—especially not when they see what they believe is proof of inappropriate activities. The easiest way to kill a rumor and end the doubt of customers, stakeholders, partners and employees is from an independent source.

As technology advances, leaders must ensure that internal procedures such as crisis playbooks, internal protocols and external messaging are updated consistently. Deepfake crises are already actively affecting notable figures such as politicians and celebrities. Businesses—even those in the construction industry—are next.