An AI-powered service called Deep Nostalgia that animates photos became the main character on Twitter this beautiful Sunday, as people try to create the scariest fake “video” possible, apparently.
The Deep Nostalgia service, offered by the online genealogy company MyHeritage, uses D-ID licensed AI to create the effect of a moving static photo. It’s more or less like the iOS Live Photos feature, which adds a few seconds of video to help smartphone photographers find the best photo.
But Deep Nostalgia can take pictures from any camera and bring them to life. The program uses pre-recorded videos from the facial movement driver and applies the one that works best for the photo in question. Its purpose is to allow you to upload photos of deceased loved ones and see them in “action”, which seems like a lovely idea.
Users must sign up for a free MyHeritage account and then submit a photo. From there, the process is automated; the site enhances the image before animating it and creating a gif. The website’s FAQ says that it does not provide the photos to third parties, and on its main page a message says “photos uploaded without completing registration are automatically deleted to protect your privacy”.
Naturally, the program has become something of a meme generator on Twitter, with users trying to push AI to its limit. An archaeologist used pictures of ancient statues and, yes, they included some with blank eyes. I apologize in advance for the fuel of the nightmare (but hello there Alexander the Great):
Deep Nostalgia can only handle unique headshots and can only animate faces, so you won’t be able to revive mummies to look like they’re walking (hey, I wondered, okay?) You can upload five photos for free to the MyHeritage website for Deep Nostalgia treatment, after that you must register for a paid account.
Is it better to leave some photos without animation? I am afraid to upload photos to any website and I think the usual privacy concerns still apply. But if you’re going to experience Deep Nostalgia get ready for a surreal experience. AI is scarily good.