Tencent Cloud, the Chinese tech giant Tencent’s cloud service platform, launched a new digital human production platform. The platform allows users to create realistic deep fakes of any individual based on a three-minute video and 100 sentences of voice material for $145.
Tencent Cloud’s Deep Fake Generator
The newly launched platform uses Tencent’s indigenous artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities to create fake videos on any individual. Scammers and con artists can seriously misuse this facility to lure novice investors by projecting fake videos of famous personalities endorsing their project or platform.
In 2022, Tesla CEO Elon Musk openly warned against the dangers of rapidly rising numbers of deep fake videos impersonating Musk to promote cryptocurrency scams. A video of a similar incident was tweeted, requiring a trained eye to make out that it was a fake video. Common investors might get carried away, invest in something dubious, and incur heavy losses.
Chinese local media also reported that Tencent Cloud’s service could analyze and train itself using a three-minute video and a stack of 100 voice clips. This data would then be used to create a convincing deep fake video within 24 hours. Creating such a video would cost around 1,000 yuan ($145).
Another media outlet highlighted that the service can now create deep fakes in Chinese and English. They offer to make a digital human in five styles, viz. 3D Realistic, 3D Semi-Realistic, 3D Cartoon, 2D Cartoon and 2D Real Person. These options are enough to dupe naive investors and loot them of their hard-earned money.
With this application, Tencent intends to host live-streamed infomercials curated for the Chinese demographics. The local media also repealed the other deep fake use cases, some of which might include representing layers, professionals, and doctors in advertising.
In the meantime, other Chinese tech giants like Baidu and Huawei have already started to develop their versions of generative AI tools, which would rival the market-leading OpenAI’s ChatGPT. The media have already reported that these chat-based large language models can have significant use cases in the blockchain industry. They can be used to audit smart contracts code, recommend the best crypto trading strategies for maximum profits, write new and exciting codes for applications, etc.
Implications of Such Applications
Metaverse is in its early stages, and it still has a long way to go to name the pros of such platforms. Famous personalities like dead scientists and inventors could now teach the students through these applications. All the creator would require are a 3-minute video clip available through their famous lectures and 100 voice samples also available in archives.
Dead actors could work in movies, and performers and singers could have their shows, endless possibilities.
But it can also be used for wrong purposes; imagine portraying a famous personality as a brand ambassador for a lousy project intended at duping its investors. Or deep fake of a prominent political personality involved in wrong activities, greatly diminishing the politician’s credibility. Here also, the possibilities are endless.
There should be some rules and regulations to curb such menace.
Steve Anderson is an Australian crypto enthusiast. He is a specialist in management and trading for over 5 years. Steve has worked as a crypto trader, he loves learning about decentralisation, understanding the true potential of the blockchain.
Source: https://www.thecoinrepublic.com/2023/04/30/with-tencent-clouds-new-tool-making-deep-fake-videos-cost-145/