In this day and age, social media platforms wield enormous significance in the dynamics of communication. Information travels at unprecedented speed, giving individuals around the globe continuous access to a near-real-time conversation about important and trivial matters. However, social media platforms have also engendered specific challenges that obstruct the efficacy of communication. Recent years have witnessed the convergence of artificial intelligence and social media, which may have many benefits, but also present a perilous synergy that, may have far-reaching consequences for humankind. Their amalgamation has thrown in a very accessible avenue for purveyors of misinformation to peddle deceptive content and exacerbate the prevalence of false information. AI techniques like human image synthesis are being used to produce deepfake and cheapfake videos, which are highly capable of spreading disinformation. Thus, the present study adopts a descriptive approach to examine the spread of false information through AI on social media, taking up case studies of deepfake and cheapfake (video) messages circulated through these platforms. It also focuses on the role of bots and artificial intelligence in communicating false information. The analysis considers the theory of agenda setting and information (innovation) diffusion theory in contemporary political and social scenarios.

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Keywords: Social Media, Fake News, Misinformation/Disinformation, Bots, Deepfake, Cheapfake.