Deepfakes Explained: How they're made, how to spot them & are they dangerous? | Explained

Behind the News

17 Oct 201911:40

Summary

TLDRDeepfakes, using AI to manipulate video and audio, have evolved from movie magic to accessible tech for anyone. This script explores their potential for humor and misinformation, highlighting past uses in films and the ethical concerns of spreading false narratives. It discusses the advancements in technology, making deepfakes increasingly realistic and difficult to detect, and the importance of critical thinking and media literacy to discern truth in the digital age.

Takeaways

🎭 Deepfakes are advanced video and audio manipulations that can replace faces or put characters in unusual scenarios.
🎬 Facial recognition technology has been used in major films like 'Star Wars Rogue One' and 'Fast and the Furious 7' for recreating characters.
👤 Hao Li, a pioneer in the field, highlights the evolution of deepfake technology from complex processes to accessible tools for anyone.
🤖 Artificial intelligence plays a crucial role in deepfakes by mapping faces using fed data, enabling face swapping and lip-syncing.
📉 The ease of creating deepfakes has increased significantly, with the time to produce them reduced to weeks for just a few seconds of video.
🌐 The accessibility of deepfake technology raises concerns about misinformation and harassment, impacting individuals and society.
🗳️ Deepfakes pose a significant risk in political scenarios, potentially swaying elections by misrepresenting candidates' actions or words.
🔊 New voice technology like Lyrebird can create voice imprints, further enhancing the realism of deepfakes.
📈 The number of deepfake videos online has doubled in less than a year, indicating rapid growth and proliferation.
🕵️‍♂️ Deeptrace, a cybersecurity company, uses deep learning to detect deepfake videos, emphasizing the need for advanced detection methods.
🧐 Media literacy and critical thinking are essential for the public to discern the authenticity of videos and avoid falling for deepfakes.

Q & A

What is the primary application of deepfakes technology?
-Deepfakes technology is primarily used for video and audio manipulation, such as swapping faces onto other bodies, creating humorous or unrealistic scenarios, and even bringing characters back to life in films.
How was facial recognition technology used in 'Star Wars Rogue One'?
-In 'Star Wars Rogue One', facial recognition technology was used to make the actress playing Carrie Fisher appear the same age she was in the original film and to digitally recreate Peter Cushing as General Tarkin, despite his passing.
What role did Hao Li play in the production of 'Furious 7'?
-Hao Li worked on 'Furious 7' to map Paul Walker's face onto his brothers' bodies after Walker's untimely death during the film's production, allowing the movie to be completed.
How has the process of creating deepfakes evolved from 2015 to the present?
-The process of creating deepfakes has become significantly easier and faster, with the need for fewer reference photos and less specialized expertise, thanks to advancements in AI and deep learning.
What are some potential negative implications of deepfakes technology?
-Deepfakes can be used to spread misinformation, harass individuals by making it seem like they've done or said something they haven't, and manipulate public opinion, which is particularly concerning in the context of politics and elections.
Can you provide an example of a deepfake video involving a political figure?
-One well-known example is a deepfake video made by BuzzFeed featuring former US President Barack Obama. It demonstrated the potential for deepfakes to mislead the public and influence opinions.
What is the technology behind Lyrebird, and how does it work?
-Lyrebird is a Canadian technology that creates an imprint of someone's voice. Users need to say a few scripted lines into the program, and it generates a complete copy of their voice, which can be used to make deepfake audio.
How is the advancement of deepfake technology changing the ease of creating such videos?
-The advancement of deepfake technology is making it easier to create videos with higher quality and fewer reference materials. For instance, some deepfakes can now be made from just one photo or even a painting.
What is the role of media literacy in the context of deepfakes?
-Media literacy is crucial for educating people to think critically about the content they consume, to assess the credibility of sources, and to use contextual information to discern the truth in an era where visual scrutiny alone may not be reliable.
What measures can be taken to protect against the misuse of deepfake technology?
-Lawmakers and social media platforms need to establish regulations and mechanisms for misuse deterrence, better fact-checking, and flagging suspicious content to prevent the spread of deepfakes and protect individuals from defamation.
How did the situation in Gabon highlight the importance of critical thinking skills?
-In Gabon, a video of the missing president was accused of being a deepfake, leading to an attempted coup and loss of life. An investigation later found no evidence of tampering, illustrating the need for critical thinking before sharing or acting on information.

Outlines

00:00

🎭 The Evolution and Accessibility of Deepfakes

Deepfakes represent a significant leap in video and audio manipulation, allowing for the realistic superimposition of one person's face onto another's. Initially used for entertainment or to create amusing scenarios, such as placing characters in unusual settings or integrating multiple instances of a single actor, the technology has also been employed in major films like 'Star Wars Rogue One' and 'Fast and the Furious 7' to address the challenges posed by the passing of actors or to recreate younger versions of characters. Hao Li, a pioneer in this field, discusses the advancements that have made deepfake creation more accessible, shifting from a multi-week process requiring a team of specialists to a task achievable by a single individual with AI assistance. The technology's capabilities extend beyond face swapping to include manipulating mouth movements for false speech synthesis. However, the potential misuse of deepfakes to spread misinformation and harass individuals is a growing concern, especially in political contexts where manipulated videos could sway public opinion and election outcomes, as exemplified by the deepfake of Barack Obama and other influential figures.

05:04

🌐 The Future and Detection of Deepfakes

The future of deepfake technology is poised for even greater ease of use and improved realism, with developments that enable deepfakes to be created from a single image or painting. Applications like the Chinese app Zao demonstrate the current trend of user-friendly deepfake generation, allowing users to insert themselves into movie scenes with minimal input. Real-time face mapping, a feature present in many popular phone apps, is also indicative of the technology's pervasiveness and potential for further sophistication. Hao Li predicts that the creation of virtually undetectable deepfakes is imminent, a sentiment echoed by Giorgio Patrini, whose cyber security company Deeptrace is dedicated to detecting such manipulated content. The challenge lies in the rapid evolution of deepfake technology, which is outpacing the ability to visually identify manipulated videos. Both experts agree that while technological solutions are being developed to analyze video content at a pixel level or through behavioral analysis, the onus is also on educating the public to think critically and use contextual information to discern truth from deception.

10:09

🛡️ Ethical Considerations and Countermeasures Against Deepfakes

The ethical implications of deepfake technology are profound, with the potential to defame and ruin reputations with relative ease. The responsibility to mitigate the misuse of deepfakes falls not only on the creators of the technology but also on lawmakers and social media platforms. Implementing regulations and enhancing fact-checking mechanisms are crucial steps in deterring the spread of deepfake content. Additionally, social media platforms should provide tools for users to flag suspicious content and analyze its dissemination patterns. The case of the Gabonese President highlights the importance of critical thinking, as the misidentification of a video as a deepfake led to violent repercussions. It underscores the necessity for individuals to process information thoughtfully before sharing it, and for platforms and authorities to promote media literacy and vigilance against the potential dangers of deepfake technology.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Deepfakes

Deepfakes refer to a form of media manipulation where artificial intelligence is used to create realistic but fake images or videos of people, often by superimposing existing images or videos onto source images or videos of subjects. In the context of the video, deepfakes are portrayed as the next generation of video and audio manipulation, with examples given such as swapping faces and creating fictional scenarios involving real people.

💡Facial Recognition Technology

Facial recognition technology is a set of processes used to automatically identify or verify a person from a digital image or a video frame from a video source. The script mentions its use in major movies like 'Star Wars Rogue One' to recreate the appearance of deceased actors, highlighting its integration into the film industry.

💡Hao Li

Hao Li is identified as one of the leading pioneers in the field of deepfakes. The script discusses his work on 'Furious 7' and his ongoing research into cutting-edge technology related to deepfakes, emphasizing his role as a key figure in the advancement of this technology.

💡Artificial Intelligence (AI)

AI is the simulation of human intelligence in machines that are programmed to think like humans and mimic their actions. In the script, AI is crucial for the creation of deepfakes, as it processes large amounts of data to map faces and manipulate audiovisual content.

💡Misinformation

Misinformation refers to false or inaccurate information that is spread unintentionally. The video script discusses the darker side of deepfakes, where they can be used to spread misinformation by creating convincing but false scenarios that can mislead the public.

💡BuzzFeed

BuzzFeed is an American news and entertainment company that is mentioned in the script for creating a well-known deepfake video of former US President Barack Obama. This example illustrates the potential impact of deepfakes on public figures and perception.

💡Lyrebird

Lyrebird is a technology that creates an imprint of someone's voice using a few scripted lines. The script describes how this technology can be used to generate a complete copy of a person's voice, which can then be used to create deepfakes with realistic audio.

💡Media Literacy

Media literacy is the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and create media in a variety of forms. The script emphasizes the importance of media literacy in the context of deepfakes, as it equips people with the skills to critically assess the content they consume and辨别 its authenticity.

💡Deeptrace

Deeptrace is a cybersecurity company mentioned in the script that specializes in detecting deepfake videos. The company uses deep learning technology to analyze videos and determine if they have been manipulated or synthesized by algorithms.

💡Giorgio Patrini

Giorgio Patrini is the spearheader of a study mentioned in the script that found the total number of deepfake videos on the internet had doubled in a short period. He is associated with Deeptrace and discusses the challenges and solutions related to detecting deepfakes.

💡Zao

Zao is a Chinese app highlighted in the script that allows users to put themselves into movies using just one photo. It exemplifies the accessibility of deepfake technology to the general public and the increasing ease with which such content can be created.

💡Real-time Face Mapping

Real-time face mapping is a technology that allows for the immediate application of one person's facial features onto another in a video or image. The script mentions its prevalence in popular phone apps and its potential for creating convincing deepfakes.

💡Vladmir Putin

Vladmir Putin, the Russian President, is mentioned in the script in relation to real-time face mapping technology developed by Hao Li. This example demonstrates the advanced capabilities of current deepfake technology in creating realistic and timely manipulated images.

Highlights

Deepfakes represent the next generation of video and audio manipulation, capable of realistic face swapping and creating humorous or absurd scenarios.

Facial recognition technology has been utilized in major films like Star Wars Rogue One and Fast and Furious 7 for character resurrection and age manipulation.

Hao Li, a pioneer in the field, discusses the evolution of deepfake technology from complex processes to accessible tools for creating realistic graphics within weeks.

The ease of creating deepfakes today is attributed to advancements in artificial intelligence that automate the face mapping process.

Deepfakes are not limited to face swapping but also include manipulating mouth movements to fabricate speech.

The misuse of deepfakes poses a significant risk in spreading misinformation and harassment, with potential impacts on public opinion and elections.

BuzzFeed's deepfake of Barack Obama and other instances demonstrate the technology's potential to deceive and influence public figures.

Lyrebird technology enables the creation of a voice imprint from a few scripted lines, blurring the line between human and synthetic speech.

The future of deepfakes is predicted to involve even more realistic and easier-to-create videos, with Hao Li estimating virtually undetectable deepfakes to be within a year.

The rapid increase in deepfake videos on the internet, doubling between December 2018 and July 2019, indicates the technology's widespread adoption.

Deeptrace, a cybersecurity company, specializes in detecting deepfake videos using deep learning to analyze potential manipulations.

Giorgio Patrini highlights the importance of media literacy and critical thinking in discerning the authenticity of videos, beyond just visual inspection.

Both Hao Li and Giorgio Patrini agree that current deepfakes are already convincing enough to fool many people, emphasizing the need for contextual analysis.

The challenge of spotting deepfakes is evolving as technology fixes visual cues like blinking and skin tone inconsistencies.

Patrini and Li are developing complex tech solutions for deepfake detection, including pixel scanning and analyzing speech patterns.

Hao Li suggests that individuals cannot protect themselves from becoming deepfake victims and calls for legislative and social media platform action to deter misuse.

The incident in Gabon demonstrates the importance of critical thinking, as a video thought to be a deepfake led to unrest and violence, despite being authentic.