So, you want to make a deepfake?
For the sake of this article, I’m going to assume you are NOT a criminal mastermind plotting AI-powered deepfake fraud. Please don’t do that.
Instead, I’m going to assume you are an innocent nerd who wants to try out this tech for yourself. Like this guy, who has over 50k followers on Instagram from posting funny deepfakes.
There are plenty of cool use cases for this technology that aren’t malicious or scary:
- Personalized video greetings: Make a personalized video greeting for your friends and family featuring their favorite celebrities.
- Engaging history lessons: Bring a historical figure to life to make a history lesson more engaging.
- Comedy: Make some funny videos you can use on social media.
Making videos like this required some technical skill. Until a nifty little tool called Reface came along. Here’s how you can use it.
Create realistic face swaps
Reface has a face swap tool that allows you to quickly and easily change the face of someone in a video.
With only a few clicks, I swapped the face of this muscular dancer so it looks like Elon Musk.
Here’s how to do it in four simple steps:
Step 1: Go to the Reface website
- Head over to the Reface website
- Make sure you are on the ‘Swap faces’ section
Step 2: Upload the video (or image)
- Click ‘Upload content’
- Upload the original image or video. This should be the footage you want to update with a new face
- In our example, I want to replace the face of Mona Lisa with the face of Elon Musk. So, at this stage, I upload the picture of Mona Lisa
Step 3: Upload the deepfake face
- Now, we need to upload the face that we want to superimpose into the original photo.
- Click the large ‘+’ button, and select an image of the face. Smooth, flat lighting on the face (facing forward) works best.
- So, for our example, I will upload a photo of Elon Musk.
Step 4: Click ‘Swap Faces’ and download
- After you’ve uploaded the image, click ‘Swap Faces’
- There you have it, you’ve made your first deepfake. You’re an AI genius.
Not disturbing at all.
Are deepfakes legal?
Deepfakes raise complex ethical questions, blurring the lines between creativity and deception. While they offer innovative applications in art and education, misuse can lead to privacy invasion, misinformation, and fraud.
Deepfakes involving celebrities may breach intellectual property laws, as unauthorized use of a person’s likeness could infringe on their rights of publicity or copyright.
The ethical use of deepfakes requires responsible handling, clear labeling, and adherence to legal standards to balance innovation with integrity.
Do:
- Do Obtain Consent: Always get permission from the individuals whose likeness you are using.
- Do Use Clear Labeling: Indicate that the content is a deepfake so viewers know it has been altered.
- Do Follow Intellectual Property Laws: Respect copyright and rights of publicity.
- Do Use for Creative, Educational, or Entertainment Purposes: Use deepfakes in ethical ways such as filmmaking, art, and education.
Do not:
- Don’t Use Without Consent: Never use someone’s likeness without their explicit permission.
- Don’t Use for Misinformation or Deception: Avoid using deepfakes to spread fake news or deceive viewers.
- Don’t Violate Intellectual Property Rights: Be mindful of copyright laws and rights of publicity.
- Don’t Use for Malicious Intent: Avoid using deepfakes to harass, defame, or otherwise harm individuals.
- Don’t Misrepresent Deepfake as Real Footage: Always clarify that the content is a deepfake and not an authentic representation.
I want to learn more about AI tools!
To stay up to date with the latest AI tools, and how you can use them to become richer and more productive, make sure you subscribe to WGMI’s weekly newsletter
