Image by Phạm Trần Hoàn Thịnh, from Unsplash
AI Is Driving A Surge In Sextortion Scams On Dating Apps
- Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
- Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager
Artificial intelligence is making it easier for scammers to run sextortion schemes on dating apps, raising urgent concerns for teens , students, and law enforcement officials.
In a rush? Here are the quick facts:
- Sextortion scams are rising sharply, especially among teens and students.
- Scammers pose as romantic interests using bots and fake profiles.
- Nearly 8,000 UK sextortion-related blackmail cases were logged in 2023
The practice of sextortion has existed for some time, but AI technology enables criminals to create more believable fake identities. This enables them to speed up victim contact, and produce artificial sexual content through deepfake technology, as reported by Vice .
The FBI defines sextortion as a method where criminals trick minors into sharing explicit photos before demanding additional images or money as payment to prevent the release of these pictures.
Criminals are now using AI-generated profiles to create fake romantic interests , often using deepfake photos and chatbots. The FBI warns that victims usually mistake the scammers for peers who offer romantic connections or gifts, but are instead being manipulated.
Student blackmail scams have increased significantly, according to the National Crime Agency. BBC data reports that the number of blackmail cases involving sextortion increased to 8,000 in 2023, while the total was only 23 in 2014.
BBC reports that Jim Winters, head of economic crime at Nationwide, advised young people not to stay silent: “Blackmail is one of the hardest things to face and it’s happening more often. It’s not easy but if something doesn’t feel right, speak up-”
Scammers now employ deepfake technology to superimpose victims’ facial images onto pornographic content, even though victims never shared explicit material. This new blackmail tactic eliminates the need for victims to share content before blackmail begins.
BBC suggests that a scam can be identified through repeated phrases in messages, flawless profile pictures, and unnatural dialogue patterns. Experts from the BPS suggest using reverse searches to verify suspicious images. However these methods become less effective when dealing with AI-generated content.
Experts emphasize the need for open dialogue, education, and updated prevention strategies, as limited research exists on how AI supports these crimes. These efforts are essential to protect the most vulnerable from digital threats.
Image by Jonathan Ardila, from Unsplash
Trump Plans Executive Orders To Boost AI Growth and Power Supply
- Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
- Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager
Trump plans three major executive decisions to expand AI systems, while competing with Chinese dominance due to increasing electricity demand surges nationwide.
In a rush? Here are the quick facts:
- Federal land may be offered for AI data center development.
- AI-related power demand could grow thirtyfold by 2035.
- July 23 may be declared “AI Action Day” by the White House.
Four unnamed sources revealed to Reuters that the Trump administration will use executive orders to accelerate the growth of American AI, while boosting energy capacity and challenging Chinese technological supremacy.
The planned actions include speeding up power grid connections for energy projects and offering federal land for AI data center construction. “Training large-scale AI models requires a huge amount of electricity,” one source said to Reuters, noting that energy demand is growing at a rate not seen in decades.
Reuters reports that the administration also intends to streamline environmental permits alongside introducing a nationwide Clean Water Act permit that will simplify zoning rules and reduce construction delays. The administration is taking these steps as part of its initiative to remove all barriers that impede AI development.
President Trump is expected to highlight these initiatives on July 15 at an AI and energy event in Pennsylvania, and the White House is set to release a comprehensive AI Action Plan on July 23. That date may be declared “AI Action Day” to publicly reinforce the administration’s commitment, as reported by Reuters.
These steps come amid growing concern over the energy needs of AI. Reuters reports that power demand from AI data centers could grow more than thirtyfold by 2035, with outdated infrastructure and delayed grid connections already posing serious challenges.
AI models such as Claude, DeepSeek’s R1, and OpenAI’s o3 are significantly contributing to environmental costs. Research indicates that reasoning-enabled models produce 50 times more CO₂ emissions than basic systems when performing identical tasks.
The “chain-of-thought” method, which models use to mimic human reasoning, leads to substantial increases in their power consumption.
This concern is far from abstract. Recent research reports that AI has started to transform energy consumption patterns across the globe. Data centers in Virginia’s Culpeper County consume electricity at a level that equals the power needs of 10,000 to 20,000 residential homes.
The data center sector in Ireland now supplies more than 20% of the country’s total electricity requirements. The International Energy Agency said that data centers worldwide consumed approximately 340 terawatt-hours of electricity during 2022, which represented 1.3% of global electricity usage.
The growing carbon footprint of AI will challenge governments to develop effective management strategies because they lack adequate transparency and proactive policies as more energy-intensive models enter the market.
