Software:Wombo
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| Other names | WOMBO.ai W.ai WOMBO.I |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Akshat Jagga, Angad Arneja, Ben-Zion Benkhin, Paul Pavel, Parshant Loungani, Vivek Bhakta |
| Initial release | February 2021 |
| Operating system | Android, iOS |
| Type | Deepfake |
| Website | wombo w |
Wombo (stylized as WOMBO) was a Canadian image manipulation mobile app released in 2021 that used a provided selfie to create a deepfake of a person lip-synced to a variety of songs.
Features
WOMBO allows users to take a new or existing selfie and then select a song from a curated list to create a video that artificially moves the selfie's head and lips in synchrony with the song.[1][2] The app works for any and all images that resemble a face,[3] although it works best for three-dimensional characters where they are looking at the camera straight on.[4] These songs are usually related to internet memes, and included "Witch Doctor" and "Never Gonna Give You Up".[1] The head movements created are from existing choreography recorded by a performer who produces specific eye, face and head movements for each song,[3] and are mapped onto the inputted image through artificial intelligence being used to tag the parts of a human face.[4] All outputted videos include a large, obvious watermark, and aim not to look too much like the video is real.
The app includes a premium tier, which gives users priority processing time and no in-app ads.[1]
Wombo processes images in the cloud, unlike earlier apps such as FaceApp.[2] CEO Ben-Zion Benkhin says that all user data is deleted after 24 hours.[5]
Development
Wombo was developed in Canada and launched in February 2021[1] after a beta period in January.[6] Wombo CEO Ben-Zion Benkhin says he got the idea for the app in August 2020.[1] The name of the app comes from the slang term "wombo combo" from console game Super Smash Bros. Melee.[1] The app is available on both the App Store and Google Play Store.[7]
Reception
Within its first three weeks of release, the app was downloaded over 20 million times,[5] and over 100 million clips were created using the app.[2] The sudden boom in deepfake technology has been described as "a cultural tipping point we aren't ready for",[2] as it is now possible to create a deepfake from any picture off social media in a very short amount of time.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Vincent, James (11 March 2021). "Lip-syncing app Wombo shows the messy, meme-laden potential of deepfakes". The Verge. https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/11/22323271/wombo-ai-memes-deepfake-app-lip-sync.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Fowler, Geoffrey A. (25 March 2021). "Anyone with an iPhone can now make deepfakes. We aren't ready for what happens next.". Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/03/25/deepfake-video-apps/.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Move over, Deep Nostalgia, this AI app can make Kim Jong-un sing I Will Survive" (in en). The Guardian. 12 March 2021. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/mar/12/wombo-ai-app-kim-jong-un-sing-i-will-survive-deepfakes.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Griffin, Andrew (11 March 2021). "What the 'deepfake singing' app everyone is using is really doing with your photos". The Independent. https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/wombo-ai-privacy-data-security-app-download-b1815658.html.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Williams, Jennifer (26 March 2021). "App allows users to make deepfake videos of friends or celebrities". FOX 5 NY. https://www.fox5ny.com/news/app-allows-uers-to-make-deepfake-videos-of-friends-or-celebrities.
- ↑ Asarch, Steven (2021-03-12). "Wombo.ai lets users make silly deepfake videos of their friends or celebrities singing songs". Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/news/wombo-ai-lets-users-make-silly-deepfake-videos-of-their-friends-or-celebrities-singing-songs/articleshow/81457212.cms.
- ↑ Diaz, Ana (10 March 2021). "The Wombo app turns your favorite character into a karaoke star" (in en). Polygon. https://www.polygon.com/2021/3/10/22323562/wombo-ai-app-culture-twitter.
External links
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