Lancaster University will host a summer school open to the public looking at the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) by con-artists.
The three-day school for the general public, running from Monday July 28 to Wednesday July 30, will look at forensic linguistics and forensic speech science.
The FACTOR Summer School will examine how deepfakes and AI-generated voices which sound like real people are helping scammers around the world.
In one high-profile example in 2024, the Global Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of engineering giant Arup instructed a Hong Kong employee to join a video call.
During this call, the CFO and other executives known to the employee ordered a series of bank transfers totalling £20m.
But the only real person on the call was the employee. The CFO and everyone else was a deepfake, each looking and sounding enough like the real deal to pull off one of the most sophisticated heists to date.
"This may be the highest profile case that has been made public so far, but there have been thousands, if not millions more, and they are happening all around us right now," said a Lancaster University spokesperson.
"As you read this, people are sending romantic messages, unaware that their supposed lover doesn’t really exist, or receiving voicenotes pleading for bail money from relatives who are, in fact, completely safe, or having their accounts quietly broken into by a voice that sounds just like theirs.
"A growing number of cases are documented, but through heartbreak or embarrassment or both, many victims never report the scams perpetrated against them, despite how personally devastating they can be.
"Whether you're a professional interested in the risks and opportunities afforded by AI, or a teacher looking to inspire students with pressing cutting-edge applications of English language and linguistics, or simply someone fascinated by language and crime, the FACTOR Summer School might just be for you.
"Over the course of three days, we’ll take you through the worlds of forensic linguistics (FL), forensic speech science (FSS), and in particular, the newest challenge we’re all facing – the (mis)use of AI.
"Within this we’ll introduce you to the uniqueness of our voices, the telltale linguistic habits we unconsciously fall into, and how well AI is currently able to replicate them. On the last day you'll take on the role of investigative expert with a high-profile fraud case to solve.
"And finally, we hope you'll walk away a little better prepared in case the fraudster's next target happens to be you."
Tickets are £30 each. This includes all teaching sessions and handouts, a summer school bag with a selection of goodies, coffee/tea breaks across all three days, and a packed lunch during the middle day.
The summer school is open to those aged 18 and above.
You do not need any prior experience or expertise in language, linguistics, AI, computing, criminology, or law whatsoever.
Speakers at the summer school will include experts Professor Claire Hardaker (Forensic Linguistics, Director of FACTOR), Dr Georgina Brown, (Forensic Speech Science, DSI Deputy Theme Lead for Responsible Security), Dr Isobelle Clark (Forensic Linguistics, Security & Protection Science) and Dr Justin Lo (Forensic Phonetics, Security & Protection Science) as well as FACTOR students Greta Esposito and Hope McVean.)
Lancaster's Linguistics and English Language department is consistently ranked third in the world.
You can book and find more info HERE.
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