Engineering firm behind structural design of Sydney Opera House loses $25m in deepfake scam

A multinational engineering firm behind the original structural design of the Sydney Opera House has been fleeced of $25 million by fraudsters. 

As reported by CNN, UK-based Arup was caught in an elaborate scheme that involved using deepfakes of a senior staff member to order a Hong Kong employee to pay out the funds. 

Deepfakes are videos, photos, or audio clips that are produced by AI to look like someone else. While they can be a source of entertainment, deepfakes can also be used to create fake pornography, spread misinformation or elaborate scams, usually impersonating well-known people, such as politicians or celebrities.