By Hush

Artificial intelligence has introduced remarkable tools for progress—transforming everything from deal sourcing to creative production. But as with any powerful technology, its dual-use nature is becoming increasingly clear. For individuals whose wealth, reputation, or public presence puts them in the spotlight, AI now represents not just a force for productivity, but a serious vector for personal risk.

Over the past year, we’ve observed a sharp rise in the use of AI to impersonate and misrepresent high-profile individuals—CEOs, fund managers, public officials, and celebrities. These attacks are no longer theoretical. They are active, increasingly convincing, and often go undetected until damage has been done.

In one recent case, multiple government leaders received audio messages, circulated via Signal and voicemail, impersonating former U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The voice was generated using AI and was convincing enough to prompt a federal investigation. This was no ordinary phishing scheme, it was a sophisticated synthetic identity attack aimed at global decision-makers.

This shift reflects a broader reality: our voices, images, and reputations are now digital assets and digital vulnerabilities.

For public figures, especially those in finance and entertainment, this development is especially concerning. Actors and celebrities are uniquely exposed: their voices and likenesses are widely available online, giving attackers ample raw material. For asset managers and PE leaders, impersonation isn’t just reputational—it’s operational. A fraudulent voicemail from a senior partner can trigger wire transfers. A fake press release can shake investor confidence.

According to Deloitte, 26% of executives have already encountered a deepfake targeting their business. The World Economic Forum now classifies AI-powered identity fraud as one of the top cyber threats to global stability. IBM reports an 84% rise in infostealer-laced phishing emails—many now crafted or enhanced using generative AI.

The implications are clear: protection in this environment requires a new model—one that accounts not just for breaches of data, but breaches of identity.

At Hush, we’ve been closely tracking these trends and developing AI-based tools to detect early signals of impersonation and information exposure. But the key isn’t just technology—it’s context. Knowing what to flag, when to escalate, and how to respond requires a mix of machine intelligence and human judgment. The goal isn’t to scare; it’s to anticipate.

As CEO Mykolas Rambus puts it:

“We’ve entered an era where being digitally present means being digitally exposed. Safeguarding identity now requires the same level of sophistication we’ve long applied to safeguarding assets.”

For people whose reputations are part of their capital—financially or socially—this shift can’t be ignored. It’s not about privacy for privacy’s sake. It’s about control, timing, and resilience in the face of a new kind of adversary.

The question is no longer if you’ll be impersonated. It’s when, and whether you’ll know in time to stop the damage before it spreads.