This scarily realistic deepfake is terrifying Twitter

We've seen plenty of deepfakes over the last few years, but they normally come with that slight uncanny feeling that something isn't quite right. We can normally tell when we're looking at a AI-enhanced image or video, but this latest example might just be the most realistic (and terrifying) yet.

Twitter is currently losing its mind at a viral video of Morgan Freeman telling us to question reality. Except it isn't Morgan Freeman at all – it's an extremely believable deepfake. (Looking for more? Check out the most unbelievable deepfakes of all time.)

The video was first shared by Dutch deepfake YouTube Channel Diep Nep last year, crediting the concept to Bob de Jong and the (very good) voice acting to Boet Schouwink. It's recently resurfaced on Twitter and gained over 6.5M views, and people are seriously worried about the implications for the future – and how such believable deceptions could be used for nefarious means.

"How can this tech NOT be deployed in the 2024 election?" One user comments, while another adds, "Soon we’ll see that even this is essentially child’s play when it comes to the actual, ever-present (yet invisible) capabilities of identity manipulation and whole-cloth digital identity creation…the implications of which are far-reaching & bone chilling…not new just new to us."

From Tom Cruise to, er, cats, it seems nobody's safe from getting deepfaked right now – we've even experienced it ourselves. But for now, it's still possible to avoid getting deceived – here's how to tell if you're talking to a deepfake.

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