Deepfake is a type of media that has been artificially generated or altered using deep learning techniques, such as machine learning and artificial intelligence. It involves creating a synthetic video or audio clip that appears to show someone doing or saying something that they did not actually do or say. This can be done by synthesizing a person’s facial expressions and voice to match those of someone else in a pre-existing video or audio clip, or by generating entirely new content that appears to be real.
Deepfakes have been used for a variety of purposes, including generating fake news stories and manipulating political discourse. They have also been used for entertainment purposes, such as creating celebrity “lookalike” videos or creating humorous mashups of different celebrities or public figures.
There are concerns about the potential for deepfakes to be used for malicious purposes, such as spreading misinformation or propaganda, or as a tool for cyberbullying or revenge porn. As a result, there has been significant efforts to develop ways to detect and prevent deepfakes.
Trey Parker and Matt Stone are the creators of the popular animated television series South Park. The show, which first aired in 1997, is known for its irreverent humor, satirical commentary on current events, and controversial subject matter. Parker and Stone also wrote and starred in the Broadway musical The Book of Mormon and co-created the animated sitcom The Pandemic Special.
Parker and Stone met in college and began collaborating on short films and animation projects. They developed the idea for South Park while working on a animated holiday card for a production company, and the show quickly gained a large following due to its edgy humor and unique animation style. Parker and Stone continue to write, produce, and voice many of the characters on South Park, and the show remains a popular and influential cultural phenomenon.
Started in 2020 as a result of the COVID lockdowns, Trey and Matt started the artificial intelligence media company in order to continue producing a film their team was working on. Seeing the potential of the proprietary tools they built they decided to turn the technology into a platform for other businesses to utilize.
“LOS ANGELES, CA, December 20, 2022 — Deep Voodoo, the artificial intelligence entertainment startup formed by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, announced today that it has secured a $20 million investment led by Connect Ventures, an investment partnership between leading entertainment and sports agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and global venture capital firm New Enterprise Associates (NEA). The invested capital will accelerate Deep Voodoo’s development of its leading deep fake technology, cost-effective visual effects services, and original synthetic media projects.”
READ THE FULL PRESS RELEASE: TREY PARKER AND MATT STONE’S DEEP FAKE COMPANY DEEP VOODOO ANNOUNCES $20 MILLION INVESTMENT
Deepfake technology can be used to create a wide range of artificially generated or altered media, including videos, images, and audio clips. Some common uses of deepfake technology include:
- Creating celebrity “lookalike” videos or audio clips
- Generating fake news stories or propaganda
- Manipulating political discourse
- Creating humorous mashups or parodies of celebrities or public figures
- Synthesizing a person’s facial expressions and voice to match those of someone else in a pre-existing video or audio clip
- Generating entirely new content that appears to be real
There are also potential uses for deepfake technology in the entertainment industry, such as creating special effects for movies or television shows, or in the field of education, where it could be used to create simulations or virtual reality experiences. However, there are also concerns about the potential for deepfakes to be used for malicious purposes, such as spreading misinformation or as a tool for cyberbullying or revenge porn. As a result, there has been significant efforts to develop ways to detect and prevent deepfakes.