Four tips to help you avoid being catfished by Sora AI
Experts predict that the launch of Sora AI, the newest GPT model from OpenAI, will lead more catfishing on dating apps. Find out how you can protect yourself.
Open AI’s Sora can create videos that look and feel natural, all from a simple text prompt or image. And for the world of online dating, this technology, while impressive, will severely impact singles looking to find love online.
Let’s set the scene: when ChatGPT was released, searches for “AI Girlfriend” soared. According to Google Trends data, there was a 2,400% increase in search interest for AI Girlfriends.
Since then, we have seen a host of Romantic AI girlfriends emerge, promising “the best girlfriend ever,” although It seems strange – the demand is very clearly there as according to Wordstream.com, the monthly search volume for “AI girlfriend” shows 49,500 hits per month.
But there is a more dubious side to AI aside from men seeking the perfect companion. We know ChatGPT has been influencing the dating market as between January 2023 and Feb 2024, there have been 187,160 Google searches for terms related to “AI for dating profile “ with a 211.54% search volume increase across the 18 associated terms.
There has been a 2,000% increase in the term “AI dating profile generator free” since Jan 2023 and an 800% increase in the term AI for dating profile.
Why will AI lead to an increase in catfishing?
So, why will this create a new wave of catfishing? Catfishing is still a genuine problem online; according to a 2020 survey, 41% of US online adults said they had been catfished at some point in their life, an increase of 33% since 2018 and 27% of online daters in the UK have been catfished.
Sadly, we expect not only for these numbers to rise but also for the success rates to increase with the release of Sora AI.
The standard solution to catfishing is asking someone to send you a photo or video of you doing a particular task. By uploading a picture of yourself and prompting Sora to create a video, you can create a short, high-quality video, eliminating the traditional solution to the deception.
People are already using ChatGPT to improve their dating odds, so why would they not do the same with Sora? According to relationship expert Steve Phillips-Waller from A Conscious Rethink, Sora AI is a double-edged sword. It demonstrates great AI progress, but on the other hand, it significantly amplifies the risk of catfishing, a deceit that already plagues the online dating world.
The data clearly suggests people already use ChatGPT and AI to falsify their online profiles. We encourage online daters to be extra careful when the technology is released to validate their dating who they think they are.
Four ways you can avoid being catfished by people using AI
With this here are four tips to avoid online dating catfishing and online scams in the new era of AI Dating.
1) Ask for a video chat (before your first date)
Another great safe online dating tip is to filter out fake profiles by requesting a video call. In fact, it can be a regular call as well, although video chatting is definitely better. Most people with AI-influenced fake profiles will be very reluctant to have a call, especially if a video is involved.
Obviously, scammers can deceive their victims much more easily through text messages and AI pictures. If they were to agree to a call, they would most likely just be discovered as fraudsters. As such, if someone refuses to have a (video) call, you might just be dealing with a fake profile.
Of course, you might be dealing with someone serious about meeting up. In that case, a video or a regular call is also very useful. It will help you to gauge the other user’s intentions and character a little bit. This could help you avoid some dangerous scenarios.
2) Don’t connect your dating profiles to other social media or platforms
It might be tempting, for convenience reasons, to just log in on a dating app with your Facebook account or your main Google account. However, it is strongly recommended not to do this, as it’s a potential privacy hazard.
Just think about it – you’re connecting a profile intended for friends and family to a platform where you’ll contact tons of people you don’t know. Instead, try using another way to log in, that can’t be traced back to you. One method, for instance, would be creating a Google account with random information that doesn’t contain your personal data.
3) Choose pictures you don’t use elsewhere
A reverse image search allows someone to easily use your dating profile pictures against you. They can simply use this Google tool to find other pages where the images appear. This way, they’ll easily find out your personal information, even if you didn’t include it on your dating profile.
As such, it is recommended to only use pictures on your dating profile that you’re not using anywhere else. This also means it’s a bad idea to simply allow Tinder or other dating apps to pull pictures from Facebook or other social media accounts.
4) Delete or deactivate your account when you’re done dating
Have you finally met your soul mate? Or have you had your fill of casual dating fun? Either way, consider another valuable, safe online dating tip, and delete your online dating account once you’re done dating.
Deleting your dating profile will erase (most of) your personal information on the dating platform in question. As a result, it will be much more difficult for others to abuse your personal information.
A Conscious Rethink is a UK online resource for personal development, focusing on enhancing mental health, enriching relationships, and navigating life’s challenges. It delivers practical advice and strategies, empowering readers to make informed, positive life changes.
