New Jersey

New Jersey concerned with deepfake AI. Here’s what deepfake artificial intelligence is

Published

1 year ago

August 12, 2024

New Jersey concerned with deepfake AI. Here’s what deepfake artificial intelligence is

There are real concerns that deepfake AI will impact the presidential election, and people in New Jersey are among the most concerned.

But what, exactly, is deepfake artificial intelligence? Here’s where the tech stands today, and why there is so much concern surrounding it.

What is a deepfake?

The University of Virginia’s Information and Security Department explains the technology as similar in nature to other image-generating software, but goes much further.

“A deepfake is an artificial image or video (a series of images) generated by a special kind of machine learning called deep’ learning, hence the name,” read the University of Virginia’s deepfake AI explainer. “Deep learning is similar to any kind of machine learning, where an algorithm is fed examples and learns to produce output that resembles the examples it learned from.”

How harmful is deepfake AI?

According to the Society for Human Resource Management, one company was bilked out $25 million in a deepfake scam, during which an employee was conned into making a deal through a deepfaked team meeting.

Global professional services group KPMG also warned of deepfake AI’s maliciousness.

“AI is now being used to alter maps, imagery, X-rays, and is used to generate text and even create realistic artwork,” read KPMG’s deepfake AI assessment. “Deepfakes are close to being readily available for a variety of purposes, not all of which are well-intended.”

New Jersey concerned by deepfake AI impact

New Jersey is among the ten states most concerned by the deepfake AI threat, according to findings from AI platform Plus Docs. Plus Docs based its findings off a review of related Google searches.

New Jersey ranked ninth in Plus Docs fundings, and was the only Mid-Atlantic state in the top ten.

“Deepfakes usually make it appear that someone said something they did not,” read an e-mail from Plus Docs, “often to spread a false narrative with nefarious intentions.”

How much AI will voters see this 2024 election

Craig Holman, a Capitol Hill lobbyist who works in governmental ethics for the nonprofit Public Citizen, believes 2024 will become the first deepfake election cycle, where AI will influence voters and impact election results.

“Artificial intelligence has been around for a while, but only in this election cycle have we seen it advance to the point where most people cannot tell the difference between a deepfake and reality,” Holman said. “It’s sort of breathtaking how good the AI has become.”

Deepfaked videos of Vice President and democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris were shared on the social media platform X, according to published reports.

And a separate published report indicated that republican presidential nominee Donald Trump deepfaked a photo of himself among a throng of Black supporters.

Elon Musk, the owner of X, has been urged to rid X of deepfaked political content.

Damon C. Williams is a Philadelphia-based journalist reporting on trending topics across the Mid-Atlantic Region.

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New Jersey

Mom of NJ teen killed outside NYC ax-throwing bar claims booze, lax security led to her son’s death

Published

50 minutes ago

November 29, 2025

Press Room

Mom of NJ teen killed outside NYC ax-throwing bar claims booze, lax security led to her son’s death

Abundant booze and lax security set the stage for the fatal 2023 stabbing of a New Jersey high school football player outside an NYC ax-throwing bar, his mother contended in new court papers.

Rocco Rodden, 17, was knifed in the heart on Nov. 23, 2023 outside Live Axe in TriBeCa by Long Islander Gianluca Bordone, who admitted to the killing in court but was acquitted of manslaughter and assault charges in the case.

Rodden’s mother Angelina claimed Live Axe, security company Burns Consulting and others, including bartenders, promoters and a limousine company, set up a perfect storm the night her son was slain.

The companies “failed to provide wristbands to people old enough to drink” and “were required to check the identification documents of all individuals entering the venue, but failed to do so,” she said in her Nov. 21 Manhattan Supreme Court papers, which also name Bordone as a defendant.

The poor security also allowed Bordone, who was 19 at the time of the attack, to bring a pocket knife to the Lafayette Street bar, she alleged.

Bordone, of Oyster Bay, claimed he feared for his life as a group that included the victim chased him down the street and began beating him.

“I was afraid that they would get me to the floor, stomp me, kill me, hit me with the bottle that I had seen before,” he said on the witness stand, according to Newsday.

Bordone also allegedly stabbed Rodden’s older brother, Anthony, outside the bar — where all three were attending a private party, authorities had said.

“It is quite possible that Bordone could have killed Anthony Rodden due to his tortious conduct,” the mother said in the lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages.

The promotors, security and others hired to work the event also failed to call authorities after the stabbing, she claimed.

Neither Bordone, nor Live Axe owner Zac Segal and promoter Ian Magid, who are each named in the lawsuit, could be reached for comment. A lawyer for security company Burns Consulting denied any wrongdoing.

“Many horrible tragedies do not result in legal liability and this is one of them,” said Burns Consulting attorney Kenneth Belkin. “My heart goes out to the family of Mr. Rodden for their loss, but this is a frivolous lawsuit against my client.

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New Jersey

LIVE UPDATES: Devils 2, Sabres 0 | New Jersey Devils

Published

19 hours ago

November 28, 2025

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LIVE UPDATES: Devils 2, Sabres 0 | New Jersey Devils

NewJerseyDevils.com is the official web site of the New Jersey Devils, a member team of the National Hockey League (“NHL”). NHL, the NHL Shield, the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup and NHL Conference logos are registered trademarks of the National Hockey League. All NHL logos and marks and NHL team logos and marks as well as all other proprietary materials depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective NHL teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. Copyright © 1999-2025 New Jersey Devils and the National Hockey League. All Rights Reserved.

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New Jersey

2 killed after fast-moving fire tears through New Jersey home on Thanksgiving

Published

2 days ago

November 27, 2025

Press Room

2 killed after fast-moving fire tears through New Jersey home on Thanksgiving

ORANGE, New Jersey (WABC) — Two people were killed after a fast-moving fire tore through a home in New Jersey on Thanksgiving.

Flames broke out around 5 p.m. at the home on Mosswood Avenue in Orange.

The fire department came within minutes, but not before two people inside the home were killed, according to the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office.

Claire Stevens lives a few doors down.

“My grandson was good friends with one of the young people that lived there. And she’s out of the country right now. And I’m just really concerned that maybe, you know, she doesn’t know about her relatives that live in the house that might have been affected by the fire,” Stevens said.

People could be seen keeping warm inside a NJ Transit bus. The American Red Cross says its volunteers provided a family of eight with emergency financial assistance for temporary lodging, food and other needs.

Neighbors are remembering the victims and are praying for the family.

“I just know that they kept their yard really nice and whenever I would go for a walk or run, they were super friendly,” said Matthew Mehr.

Authorities have not released the identity of the victims.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

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