Have you ever seen an image or video that looks so real but actually isn’t? Take this, for example. A trending post circulated online about Pope Francis wearing a white puffer jacket. You may have seen or been familiar with this, but if you are not, let us give you an overview.
A photo once circulated online showed the pope wearing a puffer jacket and accessorized with his cross necklace. Many who saw the image thought it was real, but it wasn’t. It is created by an artificial intelligence image generator that uses deepfake technology.
Deepfake technology has the power to do such things, manipulating and altering people’s memories. It gives rise to a phenomenon known as the Mandela Effect, which is precisely what happens with that pope’s image as an example. Mandela Effect’s name is taken from Nelson Mandela, the former president of South Africa. Many people believed he died in prison, but he actually didn’t. Hence, the Mandela Effect. You can take ExpressVPN’s quiz on the Mandela Effect to determine if your memory is playing tricks on you.
First, A Definition Of What Deepfake Technology Is
Deepfake technology, otherwise called deepfake AI or simply deepfake. Deepfake technology is a kind of artificial intelligence utilized to create eerily convincing photos, video, and audio hoaxes.
Aside from that image of the pope in a puffer jacket you learned about earlier, another example of a perfectly crafted deepfake is that where Russia’s President Vladimir Putin is seen kneeling and kissing the hand of China’s President Xi Jinping. Eerie, right? But relax, that did not happen.
Deepfake technology, just as other technologies become a threat for many, is believed to cause dangers. These dangers include spreading fake news, swaying political opinions, driving propaganda campaigns, revising history, fabricating scientific evidence, and so much more.
But beyond these, deepfake technology can offer more advantages, from ing education to creating innovation. Let’s take a look.
Advantages Of Deepfake Technology
1. Education
Deepfakes have the power to assist teachers and instructors when providing lessons that are engaging for their students.
For instance, AI-generated synthetic media like text to speech can be shown to students as if past and deceased historical figures are alive in the classroom. These make lessons more interactive and engaging. If students see these figures as if they are alive today, they learn more, and the media have a more significant impact.
Plus, deepfakes are also low-cost.
2. Provides More Accessibility
AI technologies such as deepfakes, threatening as it may sound, can create tools that can accurately hear, see, and reason, sooner or later. If a business, for instance, wants to improve its accessibility to its market, it can use deepfakes. These innovations can give it more independence by turning accessibility tools to become smarter and more affordable.
3. Greater Autonomy And Expression
Isn’t it difficult to express what you really want to say, such as on social media like Facebook, when you carry your name? Not with deepfakes. This technology allows journalists and human rights activists to remain anonymous when they need to express themselves better. Why? Deepfake technology can mask the identity of people’s faces and voices, thereby protecting their privacy. For instance, you can share what you want others to know without them seeing your real face when you use avatars created by this technology.
4. Arts And Entertainment
Somewhat related to the previous advantage of deepfakes on this list, this technology can help artists and those in the entertainment industry express themselves better.
Individuals in these fields use deepfake technology in countless ways, from creating abstract images to fully rendered movie scenes. Artists can use deepfakes to create artworks that would be impossible to make using traditional means.
Also, another form of deepfake technology is synthetic voice. This is helpful in audio storytelling and book narration. Plus, businesses can also use synthetic voice-overs to broaden the reach of the content they create.
5. Digital Reconstruction And Public Safety
For instance, without technologies like this, those in law enforcement agencies are yearning to find out what really happened at the crime scene so that they can resolve it quickly. With deepfake technology, reconstructing a crime scene is possible. Civil investigators can use this to create a virtual crime scene, even just from mobile phone videos. Thus, this technology is helping institutions enact safety for the people.
6. Helping Influencers
ittedly or not, getting your message across without suitable media is difficult. Another form of deepfakes is the text-to-speech model. Podcasters, for instance, who want to relay their message more accurately to their listeners, can use this model profoundly.
Influencers can utilize deepfakes to expand their reach and audience. Many people nowadays are amazed by technologies like this, and these influencers can use this to their advantage. Thus, they’ll be able to create a deeper engagement with their fans.
7. Driving Innovation
Across many industries, AI technologies like deepfakes drive innovation, automation, and digital transformation. Thus, those who use these can better engage with customers and deliver value.
To give an example, the media outlet Reuters once used deepfake technology to create a presenter-led sports news summary system. Another example is how the fashion retail industry used deepfakes to let customers experience how to be a model. This way, these customers can try their latest trendy offerings.
For businesses that sell retail products, deepfakes are also driving innovation. With this technology, brands can create a virtual trial room where customers can try the products before actually buying them. Amazing, right?
Last Words
Technology has been helping the lives of people across the globe improve. However, it is also real and understandable that these innovations are considered a threat to others. Just take a look at how deepfake technology can make people believe that something is true when in fact, it isn’t. Yet beyond this, deepfakes have proven to be helpful for various industries and fields worldwide because they can improve processes and outcomes. Sometimes, we just have to ride with the flow and treat technologies like deep fakes, our friends.