Imagine scrolling through LinkedIn and spotting a video of your CEO making outrageous claims. It looks real. It sounds real. But it isn’t. It’s synthetic – AI-generated, and entirely fake.

For in-house legal teams, this isn’t science fiction. It’s a live risk. GenAI is now capable of producing hyper-realistic text, images, audio and video – not just for creativity, but for manipulation. From fake press releases to deepfake impersonations, GenAI can be used to spread falsehoods faster than ever. The implications for brand reputation, political discourse, and legal risk are enormous.

In-house lawyers can no longer afford to sit this one out.

1. What GenAI makes possible – and dangerous

GenAI is transforming how information is created and consumed. The problem? It’s just as powerful at creating fiction as fact.

According to the Generative AI Outlook Report, GenAI tools now allow:

• Mass creation of fake new artices or social media posts that mimic trusted outlets.
• Hyper-realistic images, audio, and video (aka deepfakes) that can impersonate public figures or corporate leaders.
• Bots that flood platforms with misleading narratives, often adding emotional spin to polarise public debate .

 These tools are being used to distort public discourse – from influencing elections to undermining trust in media or climate science. Once misinformation spreads, rebutting it takes time, effort, and often arrives too late .

2. What this means for your business

As an in-house lawyer, you might not think of deepfakes and disinformation as legal issues. But they are – and fast becoming yours to solve.

Here’s why:

• Reputational risk: A fake video, statement, or “leaked” document can spiral before you’ve even woken up. Legal must lead on crisis response, media handling, and stakeholder reassurance.
• Regulatory obligations: UK and EU regulation is moving fast. The EU’s Digital Services Act and AI Act impose obligations around transparency in political advertising and AI-generated content .
• Governance: Legal teams may need to oversee internal GenAI use, especially where marketing, comms or HR teams experiment with tools like ChatGPT without guardrails.
• Election-year exposure: If your company touches public policy, climate, or regulated sectors, beware of being caught in crossfire. GenAI-driven influence operations are on the rise.

‍3. Don’t just play defence – be proactive

You don’t need to become a tech guru. But you do need to prepare. Here are practical steps: 

• Audit your exposure – What types of content could be mimicked to harm your company? Who are your public-facing executives? Which parts of the business are using GenAI tools?
• Build AI literacy – The report is clear: media and AI literacy are vital. Equip teams to spot fakes, question sources, and act fast.
• Push for internal guidelines – Help shape policies on acceptable use, disclosure, and review processes for AI-generated content.
• Get your comms team ready – Simulate a deepfake crisis. Test your processes. Make sure Legal, PR and leadership are aligned on response plans.
• Know the law – Stay ahead of regulatory developments around AI transparency, political advertising, and platform responsibilities.

4. What about using GenAI for good?

It’s not all risk. GenAI can also help fight back. Used responsibly, it can:

 Detect synthetic media (via watermarking, fingerprinting, and AI-based detection tools).

• Detect synthetic media (via watermarking, fingerprinting, and AI-based detection tools)
• Support rapid fact-checking and content verification.
• Assist in crafting clear, consistent responses during a misinformation crisis .

Legal teams can guide the ethical use of these tools, balancing innovation with responsibility.

Conclusion: You can’t opt out of this one

In a world where anyone can fake almost anything, trust becomes your most valuable asset. As the in-house lawyer, you’re not just defending the truth – you’re helping the business stay grounded in it.

Being prepared isn’t just about policies. It’s about knowing how to spot a synthetic smear campaign – and being the calm, commercial voice in the storm.