Dubai: Generative AI has rapidly transformed digital life, but its misuse is sparking urgent debate. From deepfakes of political leaders to unauthorized use of creative work, questions of consent, privacy, and regulation are now front and center in the Middle East as governments and businesses race to balance innovation with safeguards.
Deepfakes and Unauthorized Content
The region has already seen the risks firsthand. In May, a deepfake video of Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani went viral, appearing to show him criticizing former U.S. President Donald Trump. Key frames were later traced to an unrelated CBS 60 Minutes interview.
Elsewhere, YouTube faced backlash after disclosing that it had used AI tools to enhance uploaded videos without informing creators. And in the U.S., Microsoft revealed that developers had illegally accessed its AI services to generate harmful content, including explicit celebrity deepfakes, before reselling the tools.
“Fake or unauthorized content is nothing new, but AI has taken it to another level,” says Matin Jouzdani, Partner, Data Analytics & AI at KPMG Lower Gulf. “People increasingly ask, ‘Is that AI-generated?’—a question that barely existed just a few years ago.”
Growing Accessibility of Deepfakes
The concern is compounded by the ease of access. “Not long ago, creating a convincing deepfake required specialist skills and high-powered hardware,” explains Moussa Beidas, Partner and ideation lead at PwC Middle East. “Today, anyone with a smartphone can create synthetic voices or images in minutes. This has broadened the threat from targeting public figures to affecting ordinary people and businesses.”
According to Deloitte, attempted fraud using deepfakes has risen over 2,000 percent in the past three years, with scams often luring victims into clicking malicious links or exposing systems to malware.
Consent and Privacy at the Core
At the heart of the debate is consent. Eliza Lozan, Partner, Privacy Governance & Compliance Leader at Deloitte Middle East, notes that genuine consent requires clear communication: why data is collected, who has access, how long it is stored, and what risks exist.
“The concept of proper consent management depends on a strong privacy culture within organizations,” she says. “It must be embedded across system lifecycles, supported by upskilled talent, and communicated in plain language.”
Cybersecurity strategist Matt Cooke of Proofpoint echoes this: “We own our likeness—our face, voice, and personality. If those are to be used to train AI, we should be asked for permission.”
Beidas simplifies the principle: “People need to know what is happening, have a genuine choice, and be able to change their mind. That means straightforward opt-in and opt-out mechanisms, not technical jargon.”
Tech Safeguards on the Rise
Yet implementing consent at scale remains difficult, given the sheer volume of AI-generated material. Former Meta executive Nick Clegg recently admitted that requiring artists’ consent before training AI models could “kill the industry overnight,” even as he acknowledged creators’ right to opt out.
Still, companies are experimenting with safeguards. Michael Mosaad, Partner, Enterprise Security at Deloitte Middle East, highlights practices such as watermarks in AI-generated text and metadata embedded into images to make them traceable.
Beidas points to new methods like content credentials, which act as digital receipts showing when and where material was created, and invisible watermarks detectable even after editing. Platforms are also rolling out their own AI labels. “None are perfect, but combined, they improve transparency,” he says.
The Role of Regulation
Governments and platforms face mounting pressure to intervene. “Synthetic content can spread in seconds, while review processes take much longer,” says Beidas. “Collaboration between regulators, platforms, and the private sector—through standards like watermarking and provenance—is the only way to close that gap.”
The GCC states are moving in this direction. Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE are developing AI guidelines and regulatory frameworks, following the EU’s AI Act. But these efforts are still in their early stages. “A gap persists in helping organizations understand and implement frameworks for managing risks,” Lozan warns.
Jouzdani suggests building on the region’s existing legal frameworks around defamation and discrimination. “The same principles can apply to AI misuse,” he says, emphasizing that consent must cover not just initial use but also secondary use on platforms beyond local jurisdiction.
A Race Against Time
For now, the pace of AI innovation continues to outstrip regulation. Criminals remain steps ahead, exploiting anonymity and speed. But the Middle East’s increasing investment in AI governance, combined with technical safeguards and public awareness, is gradually laying the groundwork for a more trustworthy digital ecosystem.
“The real opportunity lies in collaboration,” Beidas stresses. “If governments, businesses, and platforms align, the Middle East can lead in tackling unauthorized AI content—not just managing the risks but setting global standards for ethical and transparent use.”
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