Deepfake: what it is and why it matters to the clinic
Quick facts
- Definition
- Synthetic image, video, or audio that convincingly imitates a real person, generated by AI.
- Risk
- Fraud, false identity, defamation, and use of a person's image without authorization.
- Difference
- An illustrative procedure simulation is a planning tool, with no intent to deceive.
- Caution
- Identify the image as a simulation and never present it as an actual result.
A deepfake is synthetic content, video, image, or audio, produced by artificial intelligence to convincingly imitate a real person. The term is usually associated with fraud, scams, defamation, and use of a face without authorization. Generative AI models have made creation easier and more realistic.
Why does this matter to the clinic?
There are three fronts:
- Image of the professional or the clinic: fake profiles with the face and voice of the physician, dentist, or biomedical professional to sell products or procedures.
- Image of the patient: face photos copied to create manipulated images or fake profiles. Hence the care with storage and access. See facial biometric data.
- Marketing: use of AI-generated images as if they were real before and after photos, which can amount to deceptive advertising.
Is a procedure simulation a deepfake?
Technically, a simulation generated by AI from the patient's photo uses the same family of technology. The difference lies in purpose and transparency: an illustrative simulation serves planning, is shown to the patient themselves, and is identified as a projection. The problem arises when someone presents it as a real result.
| Use | Nature |
|---|---|
| Showing it to the patient, with a simulation notice | Planning tool |
| Posting it as if it were an actual result | Consumer deception |
| Using a third party's face without authorization | Violation of image rights and of the LGPD |
Frequently asked questions
What is a deepfake?
It is synthetic media created with artificial intelligence to make it look like a person said or did something that did not happen. It can be video, a photo, or a voice.
Is a before and after projection a deepfake?
Technically it uses generative AI on the patient's photo, but the goal is planning, identified as a simulation. If it is published as an actual result, it becomes deceptive.