What you see isn't always what you get

Ahead of 2020, Beware the Deepfake

We are crossing over into an era where we have to be sceptical of what we see on video.

Deepfakes are videos that are digitally manipulated in imperceptible ways, often using a machine-learning technique that superimposes existing images or audio onto source material. The technology’s verisimilitude is alarming because it undermines our perception of truth and could have disastrous consequences for upcoming presidential election.

Some of the best, most hillarious yet recognizable deepfakes, include Jimmy Fallon's Trump News Network.

In an astonishing talk and tech demo, software researcher Doug Roble debuts "DigiDoug": a real-time, 3-D, digital rendering of his likeness that's accurate down to the scale of pores and wrinkles. Powered by an inertial motion capture suit, deep neural networks and enormous amounts of data, DigiDoug renders the real Doug's emotions (and even how his blood flows and eyelashes move) in striking detail. Take a look