Published 14 March 2025
In February 2025 the French president, Emmanuel Macron, used AI-generated deepfake videos to publicise the start of the AI Action Summit in Paris.
The fake clips showed the president edited into popular films. While some enjoyed it, Mr Macron faced criticism for publicly trivialising what others see as a potentially dangerous technology.
These teaching resources are supported by The PA Foundation. The Economist Educational Foundation maintained full editorial control.
Skills and knowledge
Every lesson has a skill and knowledge focus. Click to see this lesson's focus and some of the questions students will answer
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Problem solving
Step 0: I complete tasks by following instructions
Did you follow the instructions by showing a facial expression when responding to the questions?
Step 5: I explore problems by thinking about the pros and cons of possible solutions
Did you think about positive and negative consequences when you discussed the cards?
Step 9: I create solutions for complex problems by generating a range of options
Did you generate a range of options when creating rules or tips for how to protect people from deepfakes? -
Knowledge
I know what deepfakes are and can explain their potential impacts on society
What are deepfakes? Why do people have different opinions about them?