We live in a world where we can create visuals and sounds that is not real. Does this synthetic reality lead us to a better world – or a worse one?
We call this synthetic video processing Deepfake. So, what is this Deepfake thing exactly?
Business Insider says:
“The term “deepfake” comes from the underlying technology “deep learning,” which is a form of AI. Deep learning algorithms, which teach themselves how to solve problems when given large sets of data, are used to swap faces in the video and digital content to make realistic-looking fake media.”
https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-deepfake
Yes, we have come this far in technology, and by every day, we become better and better.
Of course, there are advantages and disadvantages of deepfake technology. In this article, we are going to discuss these.
ADVANTAGES OF DEEP FAKES
Bringing Back the Loved Ones!
Deepfakes have a lot of potential usages in the movie industry.
You can bring back a decedent actor or actress. It can be debated from an ethical perspective, but it is possible and super easy if we do not think about ethics! And also, probably way cheaper than other options.
Do you remember when they brought Paul Walker back in Fast and Furious 7? They have used CGI and VFX and spent countless hours to bring him back, but the Deepfake method is easier and cheaper!
The only problem is that the movie came to the theaters in 2015, but the Deepfake trend started in 2017.
More Realistic Scenes in Movies
I don’t know if you have seen Joss Whedon’s Justice League (2017).
Actor Henry Cavill brought Man of Steel to life In a Justice League movie with incredible acting talents, but there was a problem. He was also attending the shoots of Mission Impossible: Fallout at the same time. His character in MI:6 had a mustache. But Superman doesn’t have a mustache, as you know! The studio didn’t let him shave his mustache. Shootings were at the same time. So, they decided to remove his mustache with CGI. And this way, he could play both roles without any problem. It’s a Win-Win situation, right? No. It was a disaster. The CGI was terrible and weird-looking. It shook the Internet and became a figure of fun.
Then a guy on YouTube managed to get rid of from mustache by using Deepfakes. Here you can see the results.
See? It’s super easy, and you don’t have to spend millions.
Chance of Getting Education from Its Masters
Just imagine a world where you can get physics classes from Albert Einstein anytime, anywhere! Deepfake makes impossible things possible. Learning topics from its masters is a way motivational tool. You can increase the efficiency, but it still has a very long way to go.
DISADVANTAGES OF DEEPFAKES
Scamming
Unfortunately, there are lots of ways of scamming with this powerful technology. We have seen some examples recently.
https://slate.com/technology/2021/09/deepfake-video-scams.html
Everything comes with a price. Sometimes this price can be high enough, like $243,000.
This technology paves the way for scams like these.
We must question everything in this brand-new digital era. Can you believe what you see? Can you believe what you hear? It’s hard to find an answer these days. This situation leads us to develop new algorithms that detect fakery.
There was a Deepfake Detection Algorithm Competition in Kaggle 2 years ago, and the prize money was $1,000,000. Maybe a brighter future is possible.
Spreading Misleading News via Politicians
It is hard to spot fake things these days.
We are so open to believing what we see or hear in media. And if you see a public figure talking about a topic, you usually would not think if the person is “real” or “fake?”. However, when Deepfake exists, you must. Somebody with bad intentions can easily manipulate the news. This can lead to wars, chaos, and even hunger.
The usage area of the Deepfake totally depends on the person. Will you use it for good, or not?
Privacy Problems
We all have social media accounts. We all have Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. All of us generate tons of data every day. We all share our photos from every angle, with different moods. This may lead to some privacy problems. A Deepfaker with bad intentions can easily access your photos, take them without permission and use them.
You would not want to see yourself in a fake video without your permission. But it is possible. We need law enforcement. Privacy is the biggest problem of the 21st century.
Generating Fake News
Have you heard Spider-Man: No Way Home?
Footage of actor Andrew Garfield on the set has leaked even though he was not confirmed to be in the movie. Fans were expecting him to be in the movie, but there was no official statement from Sony or Marvel’s side.
The internet blew up after this leaked footage. Everybody was discussing if this video was real or not. Some people thought it was a Deepfake, but there wasn’t any clue about it. It was super accurate.
A YouTube channel named “Corridor Crew” analyzed the video and decided it was not a Deepfake. (Creator of the original footage says it was a Deepfake, but he probably has been warned by Disney and Sony.)
There is still much confusion, and we have to wait until the movie comes to the theaters.
CONCLUSION
People got used to hearing about Deepfakes. Most of the Internet people know what Deepfake is. We do not have to wait for years to reach and use new technologies like old times.
We are in the era of Artificial Intelligence. They can see, they can analyze, and they can fake it. There are good and bad sides to Deepfakes, but the usage area of technology depends on us. We must use it for the greater good. Also, some legal arrangements must be done.
Indeed, all these will take some time to reach a certain point. We will see what kind of world this technology leads us to.
Author Profile
I Mehmet Emin Masca identify myself as a Data Science and Finance enthusiast. Currently a student in Hacettepe University Statistics Department. I am improving myself in Machine Learning and Blockchain technologies and chasing new project opportunities in this fast-changing world.
Other Published Work
- Creating Deepfake Miracles With DeepFaceLab Tutorial (SAEHD Model) (English) (https://medium.com/geekculture/creating-deepfake-miracles-with-deepfacelab-tutorial-saehd-model-aa2aa12c08f3)
- DeepFaceLab ile Birbirinden Gerçekçi Deepfake Videolar Oluşturma Rehberi! (SAEHD Model) (Turkish)