Deepfakes refer to synthetic media content—especially videos, images, and audio recordings—manipulated using artificial intelligence to create highly realistic but fabricated representations. The technology is rapidly evolving and increasingly capable of producing convincing and easily accessible content. While deepfakes were initially used in entertainment, they are now emerging in politically and economically relevant contexts. This development presents new challenges for societies, governments, and private sector organizations.

The proliferation of deepfakes introduces several critical issues. For businesses, manipulated media can result in significant reputational damage, loss of trust, or financial harm. Deepfakes have already been used to impersonate executives, falsify internal communications, or manipulate markets. High-profile incidents, such as the deepfake attack on Bayer or similar occurrences in Hong Kong, highlight how such technologies are used with the intent to deceive and cause disruption. Despite growing attention, there is limited systematic research on real-world deepfake cases and their implications for organizations, particularly within the European context.

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