Deepfake

Noun · AI & Machine Learning · Origin: 2017

Definitions

  1. Synthetic media created using deep learning that convincingly replaces a person's likeness in images or video. Named after a Reddit user who popularized face-swapping technology. Ranges from entertainment to existential threat to trust.

    In plain English: AI-generated fake videos or images that make it look like someone said or did something they never actually did — realistic enough to fool most people.

  2. Detection is an arms race: as deepfake generation improves, detection methods must evolve. Current detection approaches analyze facial inconsistencies, audio artifacts, and temporal coherence. But the real defense may be provenance — cryptographically signing authentic media at capture time.

    Example: 'The deepfake video was so convincing that human reviewers couldn't spot it. Our detection model caught it by analyzing micro-expressions that were temporally inconsistent.'

    Source: detection / provenance

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