Are Deepfakes Used in Art?
Generative AI is used for multiple positive purposes in arts, culture, and media. For example, Versatile Recurrent Neural Network (VRNN) and other models can be applied to restore old footage dating back to as far as the late 19th century.
Other solutions are capable of reconstructing appearance of the ancient ethnicities, speeding up production process in film making and game design, help identify art forgeries, “reviving” notable figures and reenacting historical events.
- AI in Detecting Art Forgery
Deep learning algorithms are used for identifying fake pieces of art: one of the precedents took place when a Claud Monet’s painting “Forest With a Stream” put up for auction online was identified as counterfeit by an AI solution along with some other works.
GenAI has a high potential at detecting forgeries: it can be used to produce massive training datasets that imitate styles of the renowned painters. Detecting solutions can use them to increase their accuracy even further.
- Use of Deepfakes in Art and History
A variety of models are used for restoring and colorizing old footage and photos, simulating events that didn’t happen due to some reasons, and also for creating an immersive atmosphere in classrooms, museums, lecture halls, etc.
A John F. Kennedy’s “Dallas speech” was recreated by a Scottish company CereProc: it features the late former president’s voice cloned with a Parametric Deep Neural Network and Unit Selection Voices, as well as the original AI-recited text that he was supposed to deliver at the Dallas Trade Mart.
A variety of video chronicles are revived with the help of GenAI displaying life in different countries and cultures throughout historical eras.
- Use of Deepfakes in Education
Generative models can be used to create more interactive learning experiences. For instance, noteworthy figures of science, history, and art can tell about their work, life, and discoveries as AI-powered avatars. AI tutoring is another field where generative models are applied: they are used by numerous platforms to teach foreign languages, correct pronunciation, and grammar of the students.
- Use of Deepfakes in Religion and Sermons
It is suggested that GenAI can remove language barriers for confessions by offering its translation capabilities. For instance, sermons can be translated synchronically for the multilingual congregations, retaining the cleric’s original voice.
- Deepfakes in Entertainment Sphere
GenAI is widely used in game design, as it allows producing game assets, voice acting, and even code/QA much faster and cheaper. Ubisoft — one of the largest gamemakers — has developed its own AI-tool Ghostwriter to fill in NPC dialogues with short lines automatically.
- Use of Deepfakes in Films and Media
A full-length cartoon Belovezhskaya Pushcha was produced in 2024 with the help of GenAI in Belarus. It is claimed by its authors it is the first professional AI-assisted cartoon production in the world.
Besides, deep learning can be used for content personalization. It implies that various media — e.g. a news report — can be personalized for a given viewer while employing an AI-avatar of a news anchor, influencer, and so on.
- Use of Deepfakes in Fashion
Fashion style transfer is a know-how that helps online shoppers to benefit from clothing swapping. It allows trying clothes digitally on a person’s image, while retaining their original body shape, stature, and pose.
Some Notable Examples of Positive Use of Deepfakes
There are some noteworthy examples of deepfake usage in cultural amd social areas:
- “Malaria Must Die” Campaign
Malaria Must Die is an effort dedicated to eradicating a mosquito-borne disease. It features David Beckham — spokesman for the cause — speaking in 9 languages with his original voice with the help of AI.
- “Dalí Lives” Project
Dali Lives project features a life-sized copy of Salvador Dali who plays a role of the guide at the Dali Museum in St. Petersburg and narrates his life story.
- “Gerry Anderson: A Life Uncharted”
The Life Uncharted documentary stars a deepfake doppelganger of Gerry Anderson — a famous children’s series producer — telling about his life and work “in his own words”.
- “Toxic Influence” Campaign
Toxic Influence is an awareness-campaign run by Dove and Ogilvy to expose the threat of unhealthy social media habits and content. It puts “toxic” statements made by certain influencers in the mouth of a viewer’s mother. The idea behind the concept is to expose traumatic content that adolescents may consume.
- Now and Then
Now and Then is the final post-split up single by the British group The Beatles. It features a raw demo recorded by John Lennon in the late 1970s, which is then overhauled with live orchestration and deepfake footage, featuring all four members of the group together.
Antispoofing
