Skip to content

Deepfakes: The face-swapping software explained

Software that replaces an original face with another has been developed.

It uses a machine-learning algorithm to create a computer-generated version of the subject’s face.

The results are known as deepfakes.

BBC Click finds out more.

See more at Click's website and @BBCClick.

1 March 2018

Explore More

Composite image of Sir Keir Starmer and BBC Radio WM presenter Kath Stanczyszyn, who is pictured wearing headphones and speaking into a purple microphone

Will there be a Birmingham pub bombings inquiry?

Birmingham & Black Country

A huge Christmas tree on a flatbed lorry in font of the US Capitol building

US Capitol Christmas tree arrives in DC

Blurred still image from video clips shows people being taken out of a car

Migrants asked to rate trip in smuggler review videos

John Darvall sat on the left of a composite image, in a purple studio with a microphone in front of him. On the right is Keir Starmer with grey hair and brown glasses.

PM challenged on West's councils facing bankruptcy

BBC Newsline

BBC Newsline signed summary

A road sign for Blue Lagoon with flames in background

Lava engulfs Iceland's Blue Lagoon car park

BBC Scotland weather presenter Christopher Blanchett in front of a weather map of Scotland showing snow warnings.

Watch the Storm Bert weather forecast for Scotland

Mural of The Smiths bassist Andy Rourke unveiled

Parts of West Burton A power station being demolished

Power station demolition captured by drone

Man clinging to a cliff being rescued

Moment person clinging to cliff is rescued by helicopter

A woman in a hospital gown grins on the left and a monitor lit up with lungs is on the right of a split screen.

Woman gets first double lung transplant done by robot

Ryan Borgwardt

US kayaker who faked own death thought to have fled to Europe

Ruth Dodsworth in the BBC studios in Cardiff. She is sitting on an orange sofa. She has cropped blonde hair and is wearing a fitted mauve top,

Stalking was part of my daily life, says presenter

A Christmas tree with lots of blue and green lights. A building nearby has yellow lights and a red bow so it looks like a present. You can see people stood in front of the building.

Manx capital sparkles at Christmas lights switch-on

BBC News

East of England weather forecast

A woman has her make up done in a Swansea salon for Beaujolais Day

'Beaujolais day is Swansea's Christmas'

A woman polished a large Gromit statue at the launch of the Gromit Unleashed 3 trail in Bristol. The statue has a multicoloured sparkly pattern. The woman is wearing a red and white shirt and a black dress over the top and she has red hair cut in a bob style

Aardman unveils new Wallace and Gromit trail

Dylan Thomas, who is wearing a blue jumper and has brown hair, is smiling at the camera

Watch: Cardiff murderer's 999 call and arrest

Crowds of people walking streets at night

Thousands rush to US border before Trump takes office

Weather

Strong winds and flooding as Storm Bert arrives

The BBC's Lily Jamali is on the left of a split screen with a driverless Tesla taxi on the right

Musk promises self-driving Tesla taxis, but are they safe?

BBC Tech Correspondent Lily Jamali analyses the 'robocabs' and if their technology is up to par.

AI Clone of BBC Cyber Correspondent Joe Tidy

Watch: Can BBC reporter's AI clone fool his colleagues?

Cyber Correspondent Joe Tidy has an AI clone of himself built to see how sophisticated they can be.

Rows of cars line a car park at night with red lights on and some in a queue

Driverless cars wake residents with nighttime honking

The robotaxis were stationed in a San Francisco parking lot when a feature to avoid crashes set off the noise.

Joe Tidy holding a phone with the picture of a blonde woman

‘Pig butchering’ scammers target BBC reporter

Joe Tidy played along for over two months to learn more about how the scams work.

Samira Hussain

'My boarding pass and luggage tags were filled in manually'

The BBC's Samira Hussain is in Delhi, trying to catch a flight to go on holiday with her family.

10 students took part in the project

College students on life without a smartphone

Ten teenagers swap their smartphones for brick phones as part of a week-long digital detox.

Mobile phone and social media apps

Ros Atkins on... How different countries protect children online

BBC Analysis editor Ros Atkins looks at what what is being done to prevent minors seeing harmful content.

Noland Arbaugh beside Neuralink's Bliss Chapman

Neuralink patient seen playing chess using brain implant

In a livestream on X, the patient explained that he was using a device in his brain to move the cursor.

Nigella Lawson

The celebrities 'deepfaked' for US influencer's ads

Piers Morgan and Oprah have criticised the use of AI deepfake ads used to promote a "manifestation" guide.

Paul Carter tries out the bionic arm

Paul Carter tries out Atom Limbs bionic arm

BBC Click reporter Paul Carter tries out the Atom Limbs prosthetic with 'full range of human motion'.

Jason trying out the prosthetic

Jason shows the BBC how the Atom Limbs prosthetic works

Jason lost his arm in an accident in 2012, and he's been working with Atom Limbs to test their prosthetic.

James Clayton and a demonstrator looking gat the AI mirror

Do we need an AI mirror?

The BBC's James Clayton tests out the latest tech at CES 2024 in Las Vegas.

The word Dementia spelt on wooden blocks

Using virtual reality to diagnose Alzheimer's

Researchers at University College London are investigating how the tech can help with early diagnoses.

Two Grand Theft Auto VI characters holding guns

Watch: Breaking down the GTA VI trailer...in 79 seconds

Here's what our main takeaways are from the long-awaited trailer for the gaming blockbuster.

Tesla's creative director Franz von Holzhausen

Watch: Musk attempts Cybertruck window stunt again

The pickup truck - Tesla’s latest offering - had its windows smashed during a demonstration in 2019.

Rishi Sunak and Elon Musk

‘Like having a very smart friend’: Musk on impact of AI

Billionaire Elon Musk told the British prime minister that he thinks AI could take over service sector jobs and play a role in education.

Elon Musk

'There will come a point when no job is needed,' says Musk

Billionaire Elon Musk tells the British prime minister that AI will be smarter than the smartest human.

Rishi Sunak

Sunak says Musk 'valuable' to AI conversation

The prime minister says Elon Musk's background in AI companies means he is worth speaking to.

King Charles facing the camera

AI presents profound challenges, says King Charles

The King called for unity in addressing challenges ahead of a major UK summit on AI safety.

Elon Musk in the audience the AI Summit

Musk says it is too early to start regulating AI

The tech entrepreneur says "you've got to start with insight before you do oversight".