Spot AI generated videos as deepfakes surge | UK | News

We’re entering a new era of online video content, and experts warn it’s potentially quite dangerous. The rise in AI-generated videos is taking social media by storm and digital hype is reaching unprecedented levels.

Here’s how to distinguish between real and fake. A tech expert has issued a warning about ultra-realistic AI video tools available on platforms like Sora 2, which scammers are using to fuel a wave of deepfake scams online.

According to cybersecurity firm DeepStrike, the number of deepfake videos has increased from half a million in 2023 to more than eight million this year. Fraud attempts have increased by 3,000% in just two years.

Experts have found that it is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish what is real from what is not, as people can now only spot high-quality deepfakes a quarter of the time, meaning millions of people could be fooled without even realizing it.

What started as a fun internet trend with deepfakes and AI-generated videos has quickly turned into a multi-billion pound criminal industry. Scammers are now using artificial intelligence to clone voices, faces and emotions, tricking victims into giving up their money or spreading fake news.

Real-time deepfake video calls with cloned voices and mannerisms are also likely to become more common, with scammers impersonating loved ones or bosses live on screen. This is made possible by tools available on platforms like Sora, a text-to-video app that can create realistic videos in under a minute.

How to spot fake videos

The tech genius at software company Outplayed has revealed some key signs to detect an AI-generated video. These include:

• Blinking and Eyes: Subjects blink less or move their eyes in robotic patterns.
• Hands and Fingers: Watch for crooked or joined fingers; AI is still struggling with the hands.
• Lighting Errors: Shadows fall in odd directions or faces look too bright.
• Water and Reflections: The liquid looks “too perfect” or unnaturally still.
• Lip Sync Problems: Lips do not match words exactly; especially on the “p” or “b” sounds.

• Smooth Skin: AI faces appear plastic-like, with no pores or texture.
• Glitch Backgrounds: Crooked objects or shaky edges give the game away, as well as hidden watermarks.
• Fabric Movement: Clothes move harshly or unnaturally in the wind.
• Scene Transitions: Strange jumps or “blips” in the middle of the shot suggest synthetic editing.
• Odd Context: People appearing out of character or in strange places.

Gut Feeling: If it feels bad, it probably is.

An expert at Outplayed warned people to understand how fast this technology is advancing.

Victims fall into the trap of scammers

“What once took Hollywood studios weeks to build can now be done by anyone with a laptop. Videos from the latest AI tools like Sora 2 are almost indistinguishable from reality – and that’s scary because it could be used in the wrong situations.” they said.

Individuals are falling victim to fraud through social media, in business settings, and even in romantic contexts; because these criminals exploit the traditional concept of ‘don’t believe what you see’.

The expert continued: “People trust video evidence. That’s why we are entering a dangerous new era where deepfakes are on the rise. They bypass logic and go straight to emotion.”

Sora has surpassed one million downloads, with users creating short clips that have already sparked controversy.

Too many people are creating content featuring celebrities like Jake Paul and Michael Jackson, disturbingly blurring the line between fantasy and reality.

Following the emergence of several disrespectful deepfake creators, the platform’s developers were forced to ban videos depicting Martin Luther King Jr., underscoring the growing moral dilemmas surrounding this technology.