Tag Archives: Media

Facebook was inundated with deepfaked ads impersonating UK’s Prime Minister

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Facebook was flooded with fake advertisements featuring a deepfaked Rishi Sunak ahead of the UK's general election that's expected to take place this year, according to research conducted by communications company Fenimore Harper. The firm found 143 different ads impersonating the UK's Prime Minister on the social network last month, and it believes the ad may have reached more than 400,000 people. It also said that funding for the ads originated from 23 countries, including Turkey, Malaysia, the Philippines and the United States, and that the collective amount of money spent to promote them from December 8, 2023 to January 8, 2024 was $16,500. 

As The Guardian notes, one of the fake ads showed a BBC newscast wherein Sunak said that the UK government has decided to invest in a stock market app launched by Elon Musk. That clip then reportedly linked to a fake BBC news page promoting an investment scam. The video, embedded in Fenimore Harper's website, seems pretty realistic if the viewer doesn't look too closely at people's mouths when they speak. Someone who has no idea what deepfakes are could easily be fooled into thinking that the video is legit.

The company says this is the "first widespread paid promotion of a deepfaked video of a UK political figure." That said, Meta has long been contending with election misinformation on its websites and apps. A spokesperson told The Guardian that the "vast majority" of the adverts were disabled before Fenimore Harper's report was published and that "less than 0.5 percent of UK users saw any individual ad that did go live."

Meta announced late last year that it was going to require advertisers to disclose whether the ads they submit have been digitally altered in the event that they're political or social in nature. It's going to start enforcing the rule this year, likely in hopes that it can help mitigate the expected spread of fake news connected to the upcoming presidential elections in the US. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/facebook-was-inundated-with-deepfaked-ads-impersonating-uks-prime-minister-143009584.html?src=rss

Ubisoft accidentally used text-to-speech to voice a character in the new Prince of Persia game

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Ubisoft’s Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown launches next week, but players are likely to encounter an amusing bug as they make their way through the game, as reported by IGN. One of the game’s NPCs is voiced by a text-to-speech program, complete with the slightly robotic tones we’ve come to associate with these services. 

It’s not quite Siri or Alexa, but it’s close and certainly doesn’t fit the game’s Persian-inspired setting. The NPC-in-question is a tree spirit named Kalux and seems to be voiced by a TTS program that’s available online for free and typically used by streamers.

This isn’t an “AI is coming for your jobs” type thing, but rather a mistake on Ubisoft’s part, as each and every other NPC is attached to a voice actor. IGN notes that Kalux doesn’t have a voice actor in the credits. Additionally, Kalux only has a few lines, so it likely won’t be a tough fix to assign an actor to deliver that dialogue. Ubisoft has readied a day-one patch, but it won’t handle the Kalux issue. Look for another patch in late January or early February that replaces the bot with a human.

Ubisoft confirmed the error and said that the “English version of these eight lines of text for this character were not properly implemented," going on to note that the game has more than 12,000 lines of dialogue across multiple languages. Game developers often use TTS services and AI voices to create placeholder dialogue, which is eventually replaced by human actors. The company just forgot to handle this one character.

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown releases on January 15 for just about every platform out there, including the Nintendo Switch and PC. It’s the first franchise installment since 2010’s Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands. This is a Metroidvania-style platformer that brings the series back to its 2D roots. Reviews are mostly positive, with many praising it for offering a true AAA Metroidvania experience in the spirit of Nintendo’s recent-ish Metroid Dread.

However, just because this particular instance was a mistake, doesn’t mean that AI-enhanced TTS services aren’t going to radically change the industry. CD Projekt Red recently used AI to include a deceased actor's voice in Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty and SAG-AFTRA recently struck a deal with an AI voice acting platform to make it easier for actors to license their voice as a digital replica for use in games.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ubisoft-accidentally-used-text-to-speech-to-voice-a-character-in-the-new-prince-of-persia-game-193448687.html?src=rss

Who knew dogs enjoyed downtempo music?

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Here at CES 2024 in Las Vegas, a Japanese startup is worried about the mental health of all those dogs you bought during the pandemic. One By One Music believes those dogs who, while everyone was sheltering in place, got too used to their family being at home for most of the day. Now that everyone’s back to work, school or generally enjoying the outdoors, they’re getting lonely and stressed on their lonesome. That’s why the company conducted some research and claims to have discovered the secret to making dogs calmer. The answer is AI-generated downtempo music, which the company's representatives say reduces your pooch’s stress by 84 percent.

The general idea is that users will subscribe and leave the music running on their device at home while they’re away. It’ll cost ¥980 (around $6.70) per month, which you might think is a small price to pay if you think this is the most effective way to keep your dog happy. Now, I’ve only heard a tiny sample of the music the company is promising, so I can’t make any real comment on its quality. But, it does feel very much like the sort of generic downtempo synth music you’ll find in some spa music playlists that you’ll find on Spotify. But, as I say, what price can you put on your love of your dog?

We're reporting live from CES 2024 in Las Vegas from January 6-12. Keep up with all the latest news from the show here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/who-knew-dogs-enjoyed-downtempo-music-004714808.html?src=rss

Valve’s new guidelines will allow for more AI content in games

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Valve has introduced new rules to abide by that will allow the company to add more games with AI content to its Steam gaming platform. To start with, it's updating its content survey form for developers so that they can give the company a description of how they use artificial intelligence in their games. If they used AI tools to generate art, code, sound or any other kind of content for their title, developers must ensure that they do not include anything illegal or anything that infringes on someone else's copyright. Valve says it will evaluate each game and check if the developer has submitted truthful information. 

For live-generated AI content, developers have to tell the company what kind of guardrails they've put up to prevent their games from creating anything considered illegal. And since Valve will not be able to review all content games create in real time, it's launching a new system on Steam that will allow players to easily send in a report. If a player sees anything they believe should've been caught by appropriate guardrails, they can use Steam's new in-game overlay to notify the company.

Valve said it will also be transparent with gamers when it comes with what kind of AI content a developer's title has by including their disclosure on their Steam store page. The company explained that the new rules are a result of it improving its "understanding of the landscape and risks" in the AI space. Last year, Valve admitted that it was still "working through" how to account for AI content in its review process after developers complained that the company was rejecting their submissions. It needed "some time to learn about the fast-moving and legally murky space of AI technology," Valve clarified in its new post. The company said it still can't release games with live-generated adult sexual content right now, but that it will revisit its rules as it learns more about the technology and as the legal issues surrounding it evolves. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/valves-new-guidelines-will-allow-for-more-ai-content-in-games-134515623.html?src=rss

Taylor Swift deepfake used for Le Creuset giveaway scam

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Taylor Swift is not giving out free Le Creuset products in social media advertisements — though deepfakes of her voice would like you to believe otherwise. A series of posts have recently surfaced on TikTok and in Meta's Ad Library claiming to show Swift offering free Le Creuset cookware sets, the New York Times reports. The ads featured clips where Swift was near Le Creuset products and used a synthetic version of her voice. The scammers used AI to have the cloned voice address her fans, "Swifties," and produce other little remarks. 

These posts led interested parties to fake versions of sites like The Food Network with made-up articles and testimonials about Le Creuset. Shoppers were then asked just to provide the $9.96 for shipping to get their free products. Unsurprisingly, no Dutch ovens arrived, and customers had additional monthly charges added to their cards. Le Creuset confirmed no such giveaway was occurring. 

Swift is hardly the only celebrity who has recently found their voice co-opted using AI. She's not even the only one used in the scam, with interior designer Joanna Gaines mimicked in ads from verified accounts or ones labeled as sponsored posts. In April 2023, the Better Business Bureau warned consumers about the high quality of ads featuring AI-manufactured versions of celebrities. Since then, scammers have used deepfakes to convince consumers that Luke Combs was selling weight loss gummies, Tom Hanks was promoting dental plans and Gayle King was selling other weight loss products, to name a few examples. 

Little regulation exists for monitoring deepfakes or punishing the people who create them. A lot of the responsibility currently falls on the platforms, with YouTube, for example, laying out new steps for reporting deepfakes. At the same time, its working with select musicians to loan their voices out and create greater interest in AI-generated versions of real people. 

Last year, two bills were introduced in Congress to address deepfakes: The No Fakes Act and the Deepfakes Accountability Act. However, the fate of both pieces of legislation is uncertain. At the moment, only select states, such as California and Florida, have any AI regulation. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/taylor-swift-deepfake-used-for-le-creuset-giveaway-scam-123231417.html?src=rss

SAG-AFTRA strikes deal for AI voice acting licensing in video games at CES 2024

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SAG-AFTRA, the union representing thousands of performers, has struck a deal with an AI voice acting platform aimed at making it easier for actors to license their voice for use in video games. Under the deal, which was announced during a press event at CES 2024 in Las Vegas, SAG-AFTRA members will be able to work with Replica Studios to license their voice to game studios.

Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, the union's top negotiator, said that the agreement “paves the way for professional voiceover artists to safely explore new employment opportunities for their digital voice replicas.” The agreement comes as Hollywood is still grappling with the use of AI. Last year, SAG-AFTRA reached a deal with Hollywood studios that included AI protections following a months-long strike. As a result, studios are now required to pay actors (and obtain their consent) before using an AI-generated version of their likeness.

SAG-AFTRA’s latest agreement with Replica Studios seems to follow a similar framework. According to Crabtree, the agreements cover the creation of so-called “digital voice replicas” and how they can be used by game studios and other companies. The deal has provisions for minimum rates, safe storage and transparency requirements, as well as “limitations on the amount of time that a performance replica can be employed without further payment and consent.”

Notably, the agreement does not cover whether actors’ replicas can be used to train large language models (LLMs), though Replica Studios CEO Shreyas Nivas said the company was interested in pursuing such an arrangement. “We have been talking to so many of the large AAA studios about this use case,” Nivas said. He added that LLMs are “out-of-scope of this agreement” but “they will hopefully [be] things that we will continue to work on and partner on.”

Even so, some well-known voice actors were immediately skeptical of the news, as the BBC reports. In a press release, SAG-AFTRA said the agreement had been approved by "affected members of the union’s voiceover performer community." But on X, voice actors said they had not been given advance notice. "How has this agreement passed without notice or vote," wrote Veronica Taylor, who voiced Ash in Pokémon. "Encouraging/allowing AI replacement is a slippery slope downward." Roger Clark, who voiced Arthur Morgan in Red Dead Redemption 2, also suggested he was not notified about the deal. "If I can pay for permission to have an AI rendering of an ‘A-list’ voice actor’s performance for a fraction of their rate I have next to no incentive to employ 90% of the lesser known ‘working’ actors that make up the majority of the industry," Clark wrote.

SAG-AFTRA’s deal with Replica only covers a sliver of the game industry. Separately, the union is also negotiating with several of the major game studios after authorizing a strike last fall. “I certainly hope that the video game companies will take this as an inspiration to help us move forward in that negotiation,” Crabtree said.

Update January 10 2024, 12:45PM ET: This story was updated to include reactions from voice-over actors. 

We're reporting live from CES 2024 in Las Vegas from January 6-12. Keep up with all the latest news from the show here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sag-aftra-strikes-deal-for-ai-voice-acting-in-video-games-at-ces-2024-191533846.html?src=rss

Cinematic mystery game Immortality comes to PS5 on January 23

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The modern classic mystery game Immortality is finally coming to PS5 on January 23 and it’ll cost $20, which is in line with the price on other platforms. It already exists on PC, Xbox Series X/S, Android and iOS. The game was originally released back in 2022.

For the uninitiated, Immortality is more of an interactive film trilogy than a video game, recalling full-motion titles from the 1990s. The surreal narrative tasks you with solving the disappearance of an actress named Marissa Marcel. You do this by scrubbing through video clips and gathering clues. Creator Sam Barlow has likened the gameplay to a “mental Metroidvania”, in that you return to previously-viewed clips once you have a new understanding of some aspect of the mystery.

We loved the title upon release and it made our list of the best games of 2022. The script, penned by writers behind films like Wild at Heart and TV shows like Mr. Robot, is not just good for a video game, but engaging throughout. The atmosphere is moody and tense, recalling the cinematic stylings of Alfred Hitchcock and, especially, David Lynch. Immortality is geared more towards cinephiles than mainstream gamers, so don’t expect a lot of action. The acting performances, however, are excellent.

Sam Barlow made a similar game called Her Story, which was also well-received, and the less popular Telling Lies. He’s been involved with several entries in the Silent Hill franchise, including Silent Hill: Origins and Silent Hill: Shattered.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cinematic-mystery-game-immortality-comes-to-ps5-on-january-23-191054771.html?src=rss

HBO’s The Last of Us has found its Abby

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The second season of HBO's adaptation of The Last of Us is about to go into production. That means we're starting to find out the actors who have been cast in key roles from the second game, including the most pivotal new character of them all, Abby. No spoilers here, but Kaitlyn Dever, the star of Booksmart and No One Will Save You, is taking on the challenging role. (Let's just say we hope she nukes all of her social media accounts.)

“Our casting process for season two has been identical to season one: we look for world-class actors who embody the souls of the characters in the source material,” the show's co-creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann told Variety. “Nothing matters more than talent, and we’re thrilled to have an acclaimed performer like Kaitlyn join Pedro [Pascal], Bella [Ramsay] and the rest of our family.”

Abby is described as “a skilled soldier whose black-and-white view of the world is challenged as she seeks vengeance for those she loved.” As it happens, Dever and Druckmann have worked together in the past. She played Cassie, the daughter of Nathan Drake, in the epilogue of Uncharted 4, a game that Druckmann co-directed.

Dever is joining the series just after it won eight Emmy awards (including acting honors for Storm Reid and Nick Offerman), and that's even before the delayed main ceremony takes place this Sunday. Pascal and Ramsay are nominated for their performances, while the show is up for Outstanding Drama Series. Overall, The Last of Us snagged 24 Emmy nominations this year, more than any other show except for Succession.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/hbos-the-last-of-us-has-found-its-abby-182020670.html?src=rss

The Mandalorian (and Grogu) are coming to theaters, with series creator Jon Favreau directing

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It’s official. The Mandalorian and his little green buddy are coming to the big screen, and before Dave Filoni’s long-anticipated crossover film event. The movie, appropriately titled The Mandalorian & Grogu, will be helmed by Jon Favreau, who created the Disney+ streaming TV show.

Fans have been speculating why there hasn’t been a renewal announcement regarding a new season of The Mandalorian, and this could be why. The film’s going into production this year, which is likely when a new season of the show would have been created. Beyond Favreau, the producers include franchise luminaries Kathleen Kennedy and Dave Filoni. There’s no plot synopsis, but Kennedy says the “new story is a perfect fit for the big screen.”

Director Jon Favreau not only created The Mandalorian TV show, but kickstarted the entire MCU when he directed a little film called Iron Man. He also helmed Elf, Swingers and live-action remakes of The Lion King and The Jungle Book.

Disney has offered no information regarding where in the timeline this film would take place, but one assumes it would be set directly following the events of both The Mandalorian season 3 and the first season of Ahsoka. This means that Mando and his ridiculously cute ward could become involved with Grand Admiral Thrawn’s attempts to rebuild the empire.

In a short span of time, we’ve gone from wondering if there would ever be another Star Wars movie to there being, well, a whole bunch of them. The Mandalorian & Grogu will likely lead to Dave Filoni’s unnamed crossover movie that features characters from across ‘The Mandoverse’, including Ahsoka, Boba Fett, Ezra Bridger, CGI Luke Skywalker and more.

There’s also a movie in the works chronicling the further adventures of Rey, directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, and a film exploring the origins of the Jedi and Sith directed by James Mangold. On the TV side of things, Ahsoka has been greenlit for a second season. Before that, however, there’s the Jude Law vehicle Skeleton Crew and a show set hundreds of years before the Skywalker Saga called The Acolyte. Star Wars: The Bad Batch is also getting a third and final season.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-mandalorian-and-grogu-are-coming-to-theaters-with-series-creator-jon-favreau-directing-174732996.html?src=rss

Alan Wake is coming to Dead by Daylight on January 30

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Even though it often seems Behaviour Interactive is on the verge of running out of horror icons to add to Dead by Daylight, it's still managing to bring notable characters to the hit survival horror game. The next well-known name to hit DbD is the one and only Alan Wake.

One of the protagonists of Alan Wake 2, widely regarded as one of the best games of 2023, the renowned author is officially coming to DbD on January 30 as part of the next chapter. However, you can try playing as the new survivor on the latest public test build on Steam right now.

Actors Ilkka Villi and Matthew Porretta are once again lending their likeness and voice, respectively, to Alan Wake. As you might expect, you'll hear new voicelines from Wake as he tries to survive the horrors of The Fog. Of course, he wields a flashlight in this game too. Wake gets extra movement speed while shining a flashlight and if he successfully dazzles a killer, they'll be temporarily slowed down.

Alan Wake is joining a litany of classic horror characters in Dead by Daylight, including Chucky, the Demogorgon from Stranger Things, the Xenomorph and Ellen Ripley from Alien and Sadako from The Ring. Nicolas Cage (yes, the actual Nicolas Cage) is in the game too.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/alan-wake-is-coming-to-dead-by-daylight-on-january-30-171513476.html?src=rss