What Is an AI Deepfake?
And How to Spot Them
By the end of 2020, there were almost 15,000 deepfake videos circulating online. Now, in 2023, it’s likely that this figure has significantly increased, posing a danger to society in many ways, from fraud to misinformation. In fact, deepfake technology is already showing signs of swaying the 2024 presidential election, as we discussed in a previous article.
How AI Is Already Impacting the 2024 Presidential Election
However, AI deepfakes have beneficial uses, too. In this article, we’ll explore both the positive and negative aspects of deepfake technology, as well as how they are made. Keep reading to learn more.
What Is a Deepfake?
A deepfake uses artificial intelligence to recreate a person's likeness, mimicking their appearance and voice with great effect. Some deepfake videos are so convincingly made that they are actually indistinguishable from reality. For example, take a look at this deepfake video of Morgan Freeman:
It’s not perfect, but with continued refinement, this technology could generate near-perfect replications of real people.
How Is AI Used to Create Deepfake Videos?
Creating deepfake media through artificial intelligence involves several complex steps. In many instances, deepfakes are created by manipulating existing media and replacing them with artificially-generated content. In order to better understand deepfakes, let’s break down the primary steps involved in creating fabricated content.
Data Collection: The first step in creating a deepfake video is gathering data on the target individual whose face or likeness will be replaced. This means using AI to compile a collection of images, videos, and audio snippets from the individual.
Data Processing: After data is collected, it’s then processed to extract the characteristics of the target individual, such as facial features and mannerisms. This information can then be used to create an artificial representation of the individual that the AI model can understand.
Neural Network Training: The AI model is trained on the earlier collected data using Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs), which analyze the real images to create a synthetic map of the individual's face.
Iterative Refinement: To create realistic images, the AI model uses a part of the GAN model called a “discriminator” that distinguishes between real and fake content. As a result, the AI model is able to iron out obvious imperfections, ensuring a more realistic deepfake.
Deepfake Generation: Once the training is complete, the generator can then be used to create deepfake videos. Given an input video or image, the generator synthesizes a new video by replacing the facial region with a realistic representation of the target person.
Of course, this is just a brief overview of the deepfake generation process. In reality, creating a deepfake video requires a high level of computing power and extensive knowledge of AI models.
Positive Uses of Deepfake Technology
At face value, deepfakes may appear as a dangerous technology poised for shady manipulation. However, as with anything, there are pros and cons. Here are some positive uses of deepfake technology.
Entertainment: Deepfake likenesses can be utilized to create more realistic special effects in movies and TV shows. For example, it could bring back deceased actors to reprise their roles or create fictional characters that are indistinguishable from real people.
Education: Deepfake technology can effectively create immersive and interactive educational experiences. For instance, it can be used to recreate historical events or simulate scientific experiments that are too dangerous or costly to carry out in real life.
Healthcare: Deepfakes can be used to simulate medical procedures and train healthcare professionals without putting patients at risk. It can also create realistic patient avatars to help doctors practice complex surgeries or diagnose rare medical conditions.
Sports: This technology can be used in the sports industry to develop realistic training simulations for athletes. For example, it can be used to recreate game situations or simulate the movements of opponents to help athletes improve their skills and reaction times.
Accessibility: Deepfake technology can also be used to create voice and video content for people with disabilities. For instance, the technology can be utilized to create sign language videos for the deaf or specialized video content for people with visual impairments.
The Dark Side of Deepfakes
While the positives of deepfake technology are valuable, it does have the potential to cause immeasurable damage if used for sinister purposes.
Misinformation: One of the main negative uses of deepfakes is its ability to create convincing fake videos and images that can spread misinformation and propaganda. This means the technology can be used to manipulate public opinion, disrupt political processes, and spread false information about individuals or organizations..
Privacy: Deepfake technology can also be used to create fake images and videos that violate an individual's privacy. For instance, it can be used to create revenge porn or to falsely implicate individuals in crimes or other harmful activities.
Fraud: Deepfakes can help criminals to commit financial fraud or other types of illegal activity like creating fake identities and manipulating financial transactions.
Security: Deepfake technology can be leveraged to create fake videos and images for the purpose of social engineering attacks, such as phishing or spear-phishing. It can also be used to impersonate individuals in hacking schemes or other malicious activities.
Trust: The proliferation of deepfake technology can ultimately erode trust in media and other forms of communication. This is because, as deepfakes become more prevalent, it will likely become increasingly difficult to distinguish between real and fake information.
How to Spot Deepfake Content
Some experts believe that spotting deepfake content will become as easy as spotting Photoshopped content–after a while, we’ll adjust, and it will be easily identifiable. For now, however, as deepfake technology is still in its infancy, there are some simple ways that you can detect deepfake content.
Video Inconsistencies: Deepfakes use AI-generated images and audio to create content that may initially appear realistic but contain small inconsistencies or artifacts that give it away as fake. Some of the most notorious signs of deepfake videos include blurriness, distortion and oddities in the voice or background noise.
Check Content Source: Because deepfakes are often used to spread misinformation or propaganda, it’s important to be wary of content that comes from an unknown or unverified source. Always try to verify the source of the content before trusting it.
Context: If the content seems too sensational or too good to be true, it may be a deepfake. Additionally, if the video is political or controversial in nature, you’ll need to be especially vigilant in examining its authenticity.
Use Technology: There are several online tools available that can help you identify deepfakes, such as the Deepfake Detection Challenge and the Sensity AI deepfake detection tool.
As we become more accustomed to spotting deepfake content, its benefits will begin to outweigh the negatives, making it a valuable piece of technology.
Do you think you could spot a deepfake video?
Is Deepfake Tech an Opportunity for Creativity or Fraud?
Deepfake technology presents opportunities for creativity and the potential for fraud. While there are positive applications, such as entertainment, education, healthcare, sports, and accessibility, the misuse of deepfakes can lead to misinformation, privacy violations, fraud, security threats, and erosion of trust.
As deepfake technology continues to evolve, it is crucial for individuals to be vigilant in identifying deepfake content and for society to establish effective measures to address the challenges posed by this technology. Ultimately, the responsible and ethical use of deepfakes will determine whether they contribute positively to our lives or become a tool for malicious intent.
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