Have you ever had that sense of embarrassment when you read a post on social media, maybe even click on a link... and then realise it was a 'sponsored' post? In other words, you've just been duped by somebody's advertising. It doesn't happen too often to me, but sometimes I get careless!

Well, I must confess I've just watched most of a video about '22 ways to burglar-proof your home', from a retired UK copper named Robert Halstead. Here he is:

Robert Halstead

Nice-looking chap, isn't he? Trustworthy, probably, having retired after a life devoted to keeping others safe. Isn't it great that he's carrying on the good work in his own time?

But here's the problem. He doesn't exist. At least, I don't think he does. Because it was only after watching his video that I spotted the tiny little icon that appears below it in YouTube:

tiny AI icon below title

Yes, he, and his videos, are AI-generated. Or at least, some aspects of them; YouTube isn't specific. But buried in the video descriptions it says:

Made with AI - sounds or visuals were altered or fully generated

YouTube aren't going to make too much of a song and dance about this because, hey, the video I watched has nearly a quarter of a million views. And it's clear from the comments that lots of people didn't spot the 'AI' symbol... or didn't care. Engagement = profits.

Once you know it's AI, of course, you go back and look more carefully, and you kick yourself because it's fairly obvious. His UK-focused videos have a lot of US footage in them. The thumbnails on his YouTube channel have a very consistent style, and all feature him smiling with a smile that's rather too similar from one video to the next.

Who knows whether there is any human involvement in this at all. There must be, at some level, but whether they know anything about home security is anyone's guess.

Aha! You might notice, in the image above, that this supposed retired copper has an accomplice, though - the video is made by 'Robert Halstead and Christine Ainsworth'. Perhaps she's the human director, providing the research and the script behind the AI voice and images?

Nope. She's an AI too. With a style remarkably similar to Robert's, and also targeting the concerns of the over-60s. Sigh. They got me too, and I still have a few months to go...