By MES Dispatch staff
The Briefing
• NBC “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie appealed to her mother’s kidnappers for verifiable “proof of life,” acknowledging that artificial intelligence could complicate verification.
• Federal officials said modern AI tools make it possible to create highly realistic audio and video that could mimic a victim, reducing the reliability of traditional proof-of-life media.
• Investigators have not received any deepfakes in the case, but several purported ransom notes have been shared with authorities.
• The FBI is involved in the investigation of the disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, and no suspect has been publicly identified.
TUCSON, AZ — Federal and local investigators said modern artificial intelligence technology complicates efforts to verify “proof of life” in the disappearance of an 84-year-old woman after her daughter, a national television anchor, made a public plea for evidence.
Sejal Govindarao/AP
Savannah Guthrie appealed directly to the person or persons responsible for her mother’s disappearance, acknowledging that voices and images can now be manipulated through AI and deepfake technology, making traditional proof-of-life materials less reliable.
Officials, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Phoenix division chief, said that while hoaxes are not new, the proliferation of realistic AI-generated audio and video increases the complexity of validating any purported image or recording purportedly showing the missing woman.
Investigators said no deepfake images or videos have been received in the case to date, but several ransom notes purportedly tied to the investigation have been shared with law enforcement and are being treated seriously.
A California man was charged with seeking bitcoin from the woman’s family after following the case in the media; authorities said he is not believed to be involved in the actual disappearance, and no suspects have been publicly identified in the ongoing investigation.
Officials stressed that the FBI and local law enforcement are continuing their work to locate the missing woman and evaluate all credible leads, while acknowledging that verifying legitimate proof of life in the era of AI poses new challenges.