Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson in his YouTube video titled “It’s Getting Harder To Know What’s Real” shed light on the alarming trend of AI deepfakes which are responsible for breaking realities and altering people’s long-held perception.
He shocked his worldwide audience by sharing a deepfake video of himself in which he appeared to be proving that “Earth is flat.”
"Lately, I have been doing calculations as well as looking back at old NASA footage and raw data from satellites hovering above Earth. And I just can't escape the conclusion that the Earth might actually be flat," declared a voice which uncannily mimicked Tyson.
The shocking claim was set to send shockwaves until the real astrophysicist emerged behind the screen and stated, “Those were not my words.”
He further explained that AI deepfakes are somehow acceptable and harmless when they are taken as parodies. If one is creating a deepfake other than a parody, the trend becomes problematic as the viewers are completely unaware of reality.
Tyson also lamented that besides him, many celebrities have fallen victim to deepfakes, affecting the integrity of their actual message, breaking reality, and promoting deception.
The deepfake video within hours went viral, shocking viewers on the internet.
One user wrote, "Damn. Honestly convinced the second segment was also a deepfake."
The other one commented, “Deepfakes are becoming too good. It's getting harder to tell. I don't know if the video after is a deepfake.”