Silicon Valley Crosswalk Buttons Hacked to Imitate Musk and Zuckerberg's Voices
A bizarre incident has taken place in Silicon Valley, where audio-enabled traffic control crosswalk buttons across the region have been hacked to play AI-generated speech imitating the voices of Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk. The affected areas include Menlo Park, Palo Alto, and Redwood City in California.
Residents have shared videos on social media showing the crosswalk buttons playing snippets of speech designed to sound like the two billionaires. The audio clips include messages such as: “It’s normal to feel uncomfortable or even violated as we forcefully insert AI into every facet of your conscious experience,” said one crosswalk button, which was hacked to sound like Zuckerberg. Another clip featuring Musk's voice says: “I guess they say money can’t buy happiness… I guess that’s true. God knows I’ve tried. But it can buy a Cybertruck and that’s pretty sick, right?”
Despite the unsettling nature of the hack, authorities are still trying to determine who was responsible for this prank and why it occurred. Signs point towards possible hacktivism, with some speculating that the tampering may have been carried out as a form of social commentary or to make a point about AI's growing presence in our lives.
"It’s normal to feel uncomfortable or even violated as we forcefully insert AI into every facet of your conscious experience," said one crosswalk button, which was hacked to sound like Zuckerberg. This quote highlights the unsettling feeling that comes with seeing AI being used to replicate the voices and personalities of public figures in unexpected ways.
Another clip featuring Musk's voice adds: “F—k, I’m so alone.” This line serves as a stark reminder of the potential risks associated with relying on AI-powered systems and their ability to mimic human-like speech patterns.
The Impact and Response
The Redwood City official cited by Palo Alto Online reported that the city is "actively working to investigate and resolve the issue as quickly as possible." This statement highlights the seriousness with which authorities are treating this incident, acknowledging its potential impact on residents who rely on these audio-enabled crosswalk buttons for accessibility.
A Closer Look at the Vulnerabilities
Security researcher Deviant Ollam, who has explained how audio-enabled crosswalk buttons can be manipulated, points out that default-set passwords often remain unchanged. This vulnerability creates an entry point for malicious actors to exploit and alter the content of these systems.
The Silence from Polara
Polara, the company behind the affected audio-enabled crosswalk buttons, has not responded to a request from TechCrunch for comment on this incident. The lack of response raises questions about the company's priorities and whether they are taking adequate steps to address such vulnerabilities in their systems.
Other Relevant News
As always, there is a wealth of news happening across Silicon Valley and tech world that includes recent data breaches, AI advancements, new partnerships between companies, as well as breakthroughs in space exploration. As our area continues to develop cutting-edge technologies, we must remember the importance of cybersecurity.