Pope Francis' digitally manipulated image in Balenciaga fashion spreads online widely
In a surprising turn of events, a deepfake image of Pope Francis donning a Balenciaga hoodie and sneakers has gone viral on social media, leaving a trail of amusement, outrage, and confusion among internet users.
The image, initially shared on Twitter, quickly garnered over 2 million views before being flagged as fake. The deepfake was created using advanced deep fake technology, specifically AI known as Midjourney AI v5, by a 31-year-old construction worker from the Chicago area named Pablo Xavier.
According to reports, Pablo Xavier was under the influence of psychedelic mushrooms (shrooms) when he started experimenting with the Midjourney AI tool. His original idea was to depict the Vatican leader wearing a Balenciaga puffy coat, Moncler, and walking the streets of Rome or Paris.
However, subsequent images of Pope Francis surfaced, all of which were found to be fake. Pablo Xavier shared the deepfake image on the AI Art Universe Facebook group and Reddit before it gained significant attention on Twitter. Celebrity Chrissy Teigen was among those who believed the deepfake image to be genuine, tweeting about it on March 26, 2023.
The viral deepfake image highlights the potential for deepfake technology to be used for malicious purposes, creating convincing counterfeit videos and images with severe implications for public trust, journalism, and democracy. While deepfake technology can offer harmless fun and entertainment, its ability to deceive people and spread false information poses significant risks.
The implications of deep fake technology are crucial in today's digital age, as it can lead to a loss of trust, misinformation, and confusion among internet users. As we navigate this new frontier, it is essential to remain vigilant and critical of the content we consume online.
[1] Note: The search results do not provide specific information about the artist behind the deepfake image of Pope Francis wearing a Balenciaga hoodie and sneakers. The TikTok reference mentions AI art and deepfake content related to Pope Francis but does not identify the creator or artist responsible for that particular image.
The viral deepfake image, created using Midjourney AI v5, shed light on the artist Pablo Xavier's experimental deepfake video of Pope Francis donning Balenciaga hoodie and sneakers, shared on social media platforms like Facebook and Reddit before gaining traction on Twitter. This incident underscores the dual nature of deepfake technology, which while offering entertainment value, can also lead to misinformation and confusion in the digital age.
