The rapid growth of artificial intelligence has brought enormous benefits to medicine, education, and communication, but it has also created a new and dangerous threat. AI can now produce false and disturbing information with such realism that it becomes almost impossible to distinguish from reality. These deceptions, often spread through fake pictures and videos, are not harmless. They can cause serious health problems, especially for older generations such as baby boomers, and they have the potential to ignite unseen social conflicts that may one day erupt into open crisis.
False or misleading content is no longer limited to text. AI can create lifelike videos showing events that never happened or fabricate images of people in situations that never occurred. For many, especially older individuals less familiar with digital manipulation, these visuals appear entirely believable. The shock of such content can be profound. For someone already managing high blood pressure or heart disease, the sudden stress of a disturbing but false video could trigger a medical emergency such as a hypertensive crisis or cardiac arrest. These are not exaggerated fears. They are real possibilities in a world where misinformation can be produced instantly and spread globally within minutes.
The danger extends far beyond individual health. AI-generated falsehoods are eroding trust, fueling hostility, and polarizing societies. Misinformation has always had the power to destabilize communities, but the scale and speed at which AI can create and distribute it has multiplied the risk. A convincing fake video showing an attack, a fabricated announcement of an impending disaster, or an invented statement attributed to a political leader can incite anger, fear, and division almost instantly. This is how an invisible war begins, one fought not with weapons but with lies. Left unchecked, such a war could eventually lead to physical violence.
Regulation is not about halting innovation. It is about ensuring that technology serves people rather than harms them. Governments and policymakers have a duty to put safeguards in place. This begins with creating clear laws that define and prohibit the deliberate creation of AI-generated content intended to deceive or cause harm. It also requires holding online platforms accountable for the spread of such material. If a disturbing AI-generated video is uploaded, there should be systems to detect it quickly and prevent it from being widely shared.
Technology can be part of the solution. AI-generated images and videos should be required to carry permanent digital watermarks, invisible to the casual viewer but detectable through verification tools. Just as banknotes contain embedded security features to prevent counterfeiting, AI media should have built-in markers to signal its artificial origin.
Education is equally important. Older generations, especially baby boomers, need targeted programs to help them recognize the signs of manipulated content and verify information before reacting. This is not about undermining their intelligence. It is about equipping them with the tools to navigate a new kind of information battlefield. Public awareness campaigns can work alongside community initiatives to spread accurate information and debunk harmful falsehoods before they cause damage.
International cooperation is essential. Misinformation does not respect national borders. One country’s failure to regulate AI content could endanger others. A global agreement on ethical AI use, particularly in relation to visual and textual misinformation, would close loopholes that bad actors might exploit.
Mental health considerations must be part of the strategy. Exposure to distressing content, whether real or fake, can cause anxiety, fear, and lingering psychological stress. Rapid response fact-checking teams, public reassurance channels, and accessible mental health resources can help reduce the emotional toll of misinformation.
Some argue that regulation risks censorship, but freedom of expression has always had limits where harm is involved. Just as societies restrict defamation and incitement to violence, so too should they restrict the deliberate creation of harmful AI content.
The world should not wait for a catastrophic event before acting. Imagine a false emergency broadcast of a military attack or a fabricated video implicating one nation in an act of war. Panic could spread instantly, and in the absence of quick verification, events could spiral beyond control.
Regulating AI to prevent the creation and spread of dangerous falsehoods is therefore a matter of public health and national security. By acting now, societies can harness the benefits of AI while preventing it from becoming an unregulated weapon of deception. The truth is under threat, and protecting it is a responsibility that cannot be delayed.
Samuel Jekeli a human resources professional, writes from Abuja.
