Journalism Mr. Putin named ChatGPT, DALL-E, and other AI tools that can create realistic texts, images, and videos from a few words, as examples of technologies that can manip- ulate public opinion, sow discord, and erode trust in reality. “These tools are weapons of mass destruction that can deceive, manipulate, and harm millions of people, not only in our country, but in any country on earth,” Mr. Putin said. Mr. Putin accused the leaders of the U.S. and China, where such technologies are being developed, of having a moral obligation to ban them immediately, and to cooperate with international organizations to prevent their misuse. “If they do not act now, they will be responsible for unleashing a new form of warfare that will endanger the lives and livelihoods of billions of people, and the fate of the planet itself,” Mr. Putin said. Some experts and activists have welcomed Mr. Putin’s call for a ban on AI disinformation tools, while others have dismissed it as a cynical and hypocritical attempt to deflect attention from his own record of using such tools and other methods to interfere in other countries and to suppress dissent and criticism at home. They have also questioned his sincerity and credibility, given his history of denying and lying about his involvement in various scandals and controversies. “Mr. Putin is the last person who should be lecturing the world about the dangers of AI and disinformation, when he is the master of both,” said Kulla Kaljulaid, a spokes- person for the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 89