Celebrity Agency WME Tackles Deepfake Issues with New Tech Deal
In response to the growing concern over AI-generated deep fakes involving celebrities, like the recent incident with Taylor Swift, WME, a leading talent agency, has partnered with Chicago-based tech company Vermillion. This collaboration aims to protect and control the use of celebrities’ images online.
As The New York Times reported, the partnership will allow WME to use Vermillio’s digital tracker, Trace ID, on images of their clients. Trace ID, which uses blockchain technology, helps track and verify the authenticity of images. This tool helps safeguard images from manipulation but also assists celebrities in managing the use and monetization of their likenesses.
Chris Jacquemin, WME’s head of digital strategies, highlighted the challenge of manually identifying misused images and stated that Vermillio’s technology automates this process, providing a more efficient solution. However, WME and Vermillio have yet to respond to requests for further comments on this development.
Deepfakes, fake videos or audio content created using AI, have become increasingly difficult to identify due to advancements in AI platforms like Stable Diffusion, Midjourney, and OpenAI’s DALL-E. They pose significant threats to public safety, elections, conflict zones, and individual reputations.
The issue of AI-generated deepfakes gained significant attention last week when fake sexual images of global superstar Taylor Swift circulated on Twitter, leading to temporary restrictions on searching her name on the platform. This incident underscores the challenges of distinguishing between real and fabricated content, as pointed out by Dan Sexton from the Internet Watch Foundation.
