Deepfake

Deepfake is a new word and a closed compound word. We will examine the meaning of the word deepfake, its etymology, and some examples of its use in a sentence or two.

A deepfake is an image that uses artificial intelligence technology to generate images in which the original human face is replaced with another human face. The purpose of deepfake technology is to fool the viewer, either for the amusement of the consumer or to spread misinformation. The issues concerning the dangers of deepfake technology has been illustrated by social media accounts that use Tom Cruise’s likeness to make videos that were not actually filmed by Tom Cruise. The word deepfake is a closed compound word; it is a portmanteau of the terms deep learning and fake. A portmanteau is a word constructed by blending the sounds and meanings of two different words. Deepfake was coined by a Reddit user in 2017, who used the technology to alter pornographic videos. The plural of deepfake is deepfakes.

Examples

As for the creators, a quick look at the top 30 on one site reveals deepfakers all over the world, including in the U.S., Canada, Guatemala and India. (Vogue Magazine)

A Pennsylvania woman has been accused of creating “deepfake” pictures of her daughter’s cheerleading rivals, doctoring photos and video in an attempt to get them kicked off the squad, officials said. (Guardian)

Most deepfake videos are created using a subset of machine learning algorithms called generative neural network architectures, such as auto-encoders or generative adversarial networks (GANs). (Observer)