Deepfake

Deepfake is the name for media content that has been changed, or created using technologies of artificial intelligence.^[1] In most cases, deepfakes are photos, or sequences of videos or audio. In itself, media manipulation is not new. Using machine learning, and artificial neural networks, it is possible to create such content more easily, as less specialized knowledge is required. Also, detecting that an image, video or media piece was made using these technologies is becoming more difficult.

Fake image of Donald Trump being arrested.

As of 2023, deepfakes are used in different contexts:

• Creating material showing cases of sexual abuse of children or child pornography. Such material can have a direct impact on children, including defamation, grooming, extortion, and bullying.^[2]

• Creating material showing celebrities doing porn
• Creating revenge porn.
• Fake news
• Material for bullying or blackmailing. A report by the American Congressional Research Service warned that deepfakes could be used to blackmail elected officials or those with access to classified information for espionage or influence purposes.^[3]
• Financial fraud

Problems

Deepfakes cause a number of problems:

• Audio deepfakes are used for social engineering. The people then believe they get instructions from someone they trust.^[4] In 2019, a U.K.-based energy firm's CEO was scammed over the phone when he was ordered to transfer €220,000 into a Hungarian bank account by an individual who used audio deepfake technology to impersonate the voice of the firm's parent company's chief executive.^[5]
• Fake photos and videos make it difficult to tell if a photo or video is real or a fake. This can be used for disinformation.

Shallowfakes

Shallowfakes or cheapfakes are similar to deepfakes. They use the same techonlogies, but are less advanced. As an example, they might show a real image, in a different context, so that a different impression is generated.^[6]

Gallery

• 
  AI-generated image of Pope John XXIII signing a document. The image was generated in 2023, the pope died in 1963.
• 
  AI-generated image of Sylvia Kristel (1952-2012), showing her in 1974. Kristel was a model and actress who became known for starring in a number of soft-porn movies.
• 
  Kristel, after winning Miss TV Europe, in 1973. This is a real image.