A recent Nova Scotia case highlights the growing role of artificial intelligence in sexual crimes.
Stephen Lowe, 60, of Maitland, N.S., is facing 79 charges related to the alleged creation and distribution of AI-generated deepfake images, including harassment, uttering threats, and publishing obscene material. The charges also include offences involving child sexual abuse material.
The case reflects a shift in how AI is being used to facilitate harm, with technology enabling the creation of realistic but fabricated images using identifiable individuals. Police allege the images were used to target victims through repeated harassment and threats.
Unlike earlier cases where gaps in the Criminal Code limited prosecution of deepfakes, this matter proceeds under a combination of existing offences, pointing to how law enforcement is adapting to address emerging forms of digital harm.
As investigations and charges involving AI-generated content continue to increase, the legal system is being forced to confront how these tools are used and how victims can be protected.
Source: AI deepfakes of dozens of Canadian women in violent and sexual images shared online | CBC News