Topics: Kim Kardashian, Instagram, Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Viral, Celebrity
Kim Kardashian has been accused of using AI to help promote a new Skims app after people noticed something strange about a video she shared online.
After first launching Skims in 2018, Kim took to Instagram last week to announce the latest development for the company - a brand new app.
The reality TV star appears at the start of the video in an all-black outfit, and tells viewers: "I'm so excited about our new Skims app."
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The video then cuts to a series of clips showing off the app and how it works, while Kim continues: "It makes shopping so easy and is designed around the things we've heard our customers want the most.
"We've made browsing all of our collections super seamless and personalized to your preferences."
Kim shared the video on Instagram with the caption: "We heard you: the SKIMS App is finally here!" - but while many people have welcomed the new way to shop, others are still focusing their attention on the advert.
Though Kim can be seen speaking at the start of the video, many comments on the clip accuse her appearance of actually being AI-generated - when people aren't busy making references to Taylor Swift's new album, that is.
Viewers have pointed to the cadence of Kim's speech as evidence for their theories, as one person asked: "Why does it sound so generated[?]"
Another commented, "Is she an ai now??," as a third wrote: "I swear this is AI voiceover."
"is it me or does this ad seem totally AI generated? even the voiceover doesn’t sound authentically her," added another.
If news about deepfakes has taught us anything, it's that artificial intelligence can be used to create some very convincing videos - which is why some of Kim's fans apparently didn't doubt for a second that they were looking at the real Kim.
The video has received comments from viewers complimenting Kim for being 'iconic' and calling her 'beautiful', with one person even saying they wanted to cut their hair to look like Kim's in the video.
Siwei Lyu, a digital media forensics expert at the University at Buffalo, has previously told USA Today how programs can use a small sample of authentic audio from a celebrity - like Kim - to create a digital version of their voice.
Other programs can then be used to create lip movements, which can be overlaid on images of the star.
“All the software’s pretty easy to use,” Lyu said.
Kim hasn't spoken out at the time of writing (22 April) about the creation of the video.
UNILAD has contacted representatives for Kim and Skims for comment.
