Paper Type
Complete
Abstract
Digital authenticity is increasingly threatened by generative AI (GenAI)-driven deepfakes, yet the collective practices underlying their creation remain unexplored. This study addresses this gap by applying activity theory and epistemic network analysis to examine collaborative deepfake production practices among AI-savvy individuals. The analysis reveals that deepfake creation is a socially mediated, sociotechnical process rather than a purely technical activity. Open communication, mutual trust, and norm-based reciprocal support enable teams to navigate uncertainty and effectively appropriate GenAI tools. Coordination, task distribution, and problem-solving co-evolve with team norms and communication practices, shaping how GenAI tools are used in practice. These findings offer insights into multi-actor traces of cybercriminal behavior in deepfake creation. Accordingly, effective cyber policy and defense strategies must account for these collective dynamics to develop more resilient approaches for mitigating the misuse of synthetic media.
Paper Number
1387
Recommended Citation
Ho, Shuyuan Mary; Kaur, Rasleen; Sengupta, Subhasree; Liu, Yue; and Dargam, Jad, "Sociotechnical Dynamics of Deepfake Creation: An Activity Systems Analysis" (2026). AMCIS 2026 Proceedings. 8.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/amcis2026/sig_sec/sig_sec/8
Sociotechnical Dynamics of Deepfake Creation: An Activity Systems Analysis
Digital authenticity is increasingly threatened by generative AI (GenAI)-driven deepfakes, yet the collective practices underlying their creation remain unexplored. This study addresses this gap by applying activity theory and epistemic network analysis to examine collaborative deepfake production practices among AI-savvy individuals. The analysis reveals that deepfake creation is a socially mediated, sociotechnical process rather than a purely technical activity. Open communication, mutual trust, and norm-based reciprocal support enable teams to navigate uncertainty and effectively appropriate GenAI tools. Coordination, task distribution, and problem-solving co-evolve with team norms and communication practices, shaping how GenAI tools are used in practice. These findings offer insights into multi-actor traces of cybercriminal behavior in deepfake creation. Accordingly, effective cyber policy and defense strategies must account for these collective dynamics to develop more resilient approaches for mitigating the misuse of synthetic media.
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