A woman has put together a video showing how she was able to create a fake new boyfriend using a mix of artificial technology and her Photoshop skills.
Madeline Salazar is a woman of many talents. A director, producer, writer, editor and on-camera personality, she's recently garnered attention on TikTok under the name immadsal with a series of videos showing the hilarious and occasionally unsettling way generative AI could soon change our lives.
"I started a TikTok series using generative AI to create ridiculous and comical scenarios," Salazar told Newsweek. "I'd categorized my videos into three distinct buckets: pranks, absurdity and what I call toxic dating narratives."
It's the latter of these three "buckets" that has been getting notice after Salazar posted a video revealing how she wins "every breakup." In the clip, she shows viewers how she is able to edit a series of social media posts to give the impression to any ex-boyfriends who are watching that she is dating someone new.
"My ex moved on so I had to soft launch a new bf. Fast," an on-screen caption reads. Intended as a piece of satire rather than based on her real life, the clip makes for a fascinating watch as Salazar takes us through the various steps required to give viewers the impression she is seeing someone.
Salazar sees the whole thing as part of a "toxic dating narrative" fantasy. "I brainstorm the most devious ways a woman can manipulate a man, and then I slap some humor on it using AI," she said. "People love these TikToks because in them I'm living out the kinds of schemes they fantasize about, and I make it funny."
But given the level of deception that already exists in the dating world, and the internet as a whole, it's not inconceivable that this type of thing could one day occur.
After all, a 2022 OnePoll survey of 2,004 single Americans who have used a dating app found that 47 percent admitted they had intentionally stretched the truth or misrepresented themselves while swiping. Does the invention of an entirely fictitious partner represent a logical progression?
Many commenting on the video appeared convinced. "Okay but what did the ex say?? Because I would be screaming crying and throwing up personally," one viewer on TikTok wrote. Another commented: "This is ridiculously sad," while a third dubbed it "insane."
But while some may fear that this type of thing could soon become a reality, it doesn't seem likely right now, unless the person behind it has the skills and patience of a professional like Salazar.
"I created these images using a combination of the Generative Fill AI feature in Adobe Photoshop and traditional Photoshopping techniques," she said. "While the AI is a powerful tool, it doesn't always perfectly understand my vision, which is why I often find myself making numerous nuanced adjustments using traditional Photoshop methods."
Salazar estimates that, despite her level of expertise, creating these three fake photos alone took her about three hours. She's keen to stress that that's still scarily impressive, though.
"If you consider how long it would take to Photoshop these images without AI assistance, three hours is nothing," she said. "Generative AI, while not yet proficient at creating people, excels at crafting most objects. If the goal of the doctored image is more straightforward and ambiguous, such as adding a bowl of lemons to a picture of a table, the AI can execute that flawlessly in just one minute."
But while the prospect of AI creating these kinds of images might alarm some, Salazar is fascinated by the prospect.
"While this technology has certainly made it easier than ever to falsify photos and documents, people have propagated false narratives since the dawn of time—long before AI came along," she said.
"If you're not already skeptical about everything you see and read online, consider this your wake-up call, because faking images has become much more accessible."
Do you have a unique experience or personal story to share? Email the My Turn team at myturn@newsweek.com.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Jack Beresford is a Newsweek Senior Internet Culture & Trends Reporter, based in London, UK. His focus is reporting on ... Read more
