In a shocking turn of events, Baltimore County Police have announced that the racist and antisemitic audio recording that led to the suspension and investigation of Pikesville High School principal Eric Eiswert was in fact a deepfake created using artificial intelligence. Dazhon Darien, a former athletic director at the school, has been charged with creating the fake recording and disseminating it to cause harm to Eiswert.
The incident came to light in January when the recording was shared with teachers via email by an unknown user. The audio contained offensive comments about Black students and Jewish people, leading to widespread outrage and threats against Eiswert. He was placed on administrative leave pending an investigation.
However, forensic analysis by FBI and university professors revealed that the recording contained traces of AI-generated content with human editing added for realism. Darien had accessed the school's network multiple times in December and January, performing online searches for OpenAI tools linked to paid OpenAI accounts.
Darien attempted to board a flight to Houston with a gun when authorities arrested him on an arrest warrant. He is now facing charges including disturbing the operation of a school, stalking, and retaliation against a witness.
The use of deepfakes in such cases raises concerns about easily accessible AI tools that can be used to create fake recordings of politicians, celebrities, and ordinary citizens. This incident serves as a reminder to be cautious and skeptical of information obtained from sources that may not be reliable.
