YouTube Develops Tool to Detect Celebrity Deepfakes

Partnership with Creative Artists Agency (CAA)

YouTube has announced a partnership with the leading entertainment and sports agency, Creative Artists Agency (CAA), to track down deepfakes. The video streaming platform has announced that a handful of celebrities will soon be testing a new technology “designed to identify and manage AI-generated content that features their likeness, including their face, on YouTube at scale,” the platform explains in a blog post.

Test Phase and Feedback

The idea is simple: to improve the tool by adapting its needs according to the feedback of participants, whose names have not yet been revealed. However, YouTube has said that participants will include sports personalities from the NBA and NFL, as well as award-winning actors and actresses. The test phase for this technology will begin in early 2025.

Aim to Find and Remove Deepfakes

With this tool, the platform aims not only to find deepfakes more easily, but above all to facilitate their removal from the internet. “In addition to surfacing AI-generated content that depicts their likeness, this tool will provide easy access to submit requests for removal through our privacy complaint process,” the streaming site explains.

Future Plans and Products

And this is just the beginning. The American giant has already announced a number of new products that will be unveiled over the coming year. “Importantly, this is the first step of a larger testing effort. Over the next few months, we’ll announce new testing cohorts of top YouTube creators, creative professionals, and other leading partners representing talent.”

Concerns Over AI Technology

With the rise of artificial intelligence, many entertainment professionals have highlighted the pitfalls of such technology, which can easily replace actors. For example, a deepfake of the actor Tom Cruise caused confusion on TikTok in 2021. Female artists have also fallen victim to pornographic deepfakes, such as Taylor Swift and members of K-pop groups.

Conclusion

YouTube’s new tool aims to combat the growing problem of deepfakes by detecting and removing them from the internet. The test phase, which begins in early 2025, will involve a select group of celebrities and will provide valuable feedback to improve the tool. As the platform continues to develop and roll out new products, it is likely that we will see significant advancements in the fight against deepfakes.

FAQs

Q: What is the purpose of YouTube’s new tool?
A: The tool is designed to detect and remove deepfakes from the internet.

Q: Who will be participating in the test phase?
A: A select group of celebrities, including sports personalities and award-winning actors and actresses.

Q: When will the test phase begin?
A: The test phase will begin in early 2025.

Q: What is the goal of the tool?
A: The goal is to improve the detection and removal of deepfakes from the internet.