How Does Digital Technology Affect You? flickr photo by schopie1 shared under a Creative Commons (BY-SA) license
On this ninth day of the 12 Days of AI, we are looking at Deep Fake technology, examining both the possibilities and the concerns of how advancements in video production powered by AI makes for possibilities. We are asked to create our own Deep Fake video through a site called HeyGen, with a script created by Generative AI. I used Claude, and asked it to generate a script about jazz pianist Thelonius Monk.
I wasn’t necessarily all that impressed with the results, to be honest (but she seems pretty happy in her delivery). Still, you can see the potential, and maybe a paid account gives more flexibility and tools for voice, etc.
I followed the steps, but choices are pretty limited with a free account. I chose a host, and a voice, added the script, and al little text and background image. I wouldn’t quite put what I did under the Deep Fake category — given all the synthetic media I used. I think of Deep Fakes more connected to real people’s image and voice and video.
As it turns out, I have plans to chat about Deep Fakes with my students today, as part of a larger unit about technology in their lives. So I appreciated this chart, shared off the main post today:
Since the 12 Days is run by university folks, one of the ethical questions here is whether these AI videos could play a role in the delivery of education at an institution. Lord, I hope not. I can’t imagine sitting through a course with an AI Deep Fake Teacher, but I bet somewhere, some administrators are definitely imagining it (and thinking of the cost savings).
Peace (real, if we imagine it),
Kevin