Microsoft adds more protection to AI tool that created Taylor Swift deepfakes

Microsoft on Monday introduced more protections to its AI text-to-image generation tool dubbed Designer. The move comes shortly after netizens were reported to be using it to create nonconsensual sexual images of celebrities. Also Read: A Phone That Thinks And Moves? Honor Robot Phone Has A Camera That Pops Out

The American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift was one of the celebrities whose deepfake images went viral on X (formerly Twitter) last week. These images came from 4chan and a Telegram channel where people used the Designer tool to create AI-generated images, as reported by 404 Media. Also Read: Vivo Launches OriginOS 6 Globally, Including In India: What’s New, How To Update

Since a Microsoft tool was reported to be used for the same, a spokesperson at Microsoft has commented on the same. Also Read: Gemini Nano Banana AI Image Editor Rolls Out To Google Search And NotebookLM: Here’s What’s New

“We are investigating these reports and are taking appropriate action to address them,” the spokesperson said.

“Our Code of Conduct prohibits the use of our tools for the creation of adult or non-consensual intimate content, and any repeated attempts to produce content that goes against our policies may result in loss of access to the service. We have large teams working on the development of guardrails and other safety systems in line with our responsible AI principles,” he continued.

Microsoft stated that an ongoing investigation was unable to confirm whether the images of Swift on X were created using Designer. However, the company is still updating the tool with added protection. It is committed to strengthening its text filtering prompts and addressing the misuse of its services.

Meanwhile, Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella have said that the explicit Swift AI fakes are “alarming and terrible”.

“I think it behooves us to move fast on this,” said Nadella in a separate interview on NBC Nightly News.

Previously, Swift was said to be taking legal action against the same. Recently X banned searches for Taylor Swift to do away with the deepfakes. Now, after several hours, X has lifted the ban on her searches on the platform.

It is worth noting that Swift isn’t the only one whose deepfakes went viral. Sometime back, Indian celebs including Rashmika Mandanna’s deepfake video went viral. She took legal action against the same and the person who created it was arrested recently.

—Written with inputs from IANS