AI deepfake exploitation leads to criminal convictions in Australia and US

Two separate legal cases involving the use of artificial intelligence to create sexually explicit images of minors and women have resulted in criminal convictions in Australia and the United States.

In Australia, Antonio Rotondo, a 56-year-old former software developer, was found guilty by a Brisbane District Court jury of 17 offences, including stalking and child exploitation material offences. Rotondo used AI deepfake technology to modify public images of female staff and students from a Queensland school and models from a fashion show, creating images that depicted them in states of nudity or sexualized clothing. He subsequently emailed these images to school administrators.

In the United States, Ronald Richardson, 49, was convicted on 118 counts of sexual exploitation of children in Georgia. Investigators found that Richardson, a former school vendor, used online applications and bots to manipulate photographs of minors obtained via social media. Authorities identified more than 150 underage victims across Georgia and other states. Richardson faces a sentencing hearing in Gilmer County, with potential prison terms totaling significantly high years due to the volume of counts.