People ‘terrified’ after comparing AI videos from a year ago to now

People have been left reeling after seeing how far videos made using artificial intelligence (AI) have come in the space of a year.

Thinking back just a few years ago, AI seemed like the sort of futuristic technology that you’d only find in science fiction movies.

However, fast-forward to 2024 and - whether you like it or not - it’s fast becoming a part of everyday life. Whether that’s a chatbot for a delivery company or some interesting imaginings of what the average bloke from various UK cities looks like.

And the speed with which the tech is advancing is nothing short of staggering - as one person recently showcased by showing the difference between an AI video made a year ago compared to clips made today.

The clip, which was shared to TikTok, kicks off with a nightmare-inducing AI video of what appears to be an attempt to recreate Hollywood star Will Smith eating various food, including bowls of spaghetti.

The video is, quite frankly, pretty uncanny and there’s absolutely no danger that anyone would mistake it for the real deal.

However, in the later creations, the images - including an older gentleman wearing a hat and a close up of a woman’s eye blinking - are almost indistinguishable from shots of real people, and the whole thing has left folks feeling pretty unnerved.

Commenting on the clip, one person said: "in about 1-2 years AI will be the most advanced propaganda tool the world has ever seen, you wont be able to tell the difference between real and AI."

Another wrote: “Technology has reached the point where it's no longer cool, it's just dangerous.”

While a third said: “This has to be the stopping point, after this it will be too hard to figure out whether it's real or not, which is alarming.”

Someone else added: “As cool as it seems, there's going to be horrible things done with this technology because people don't know how to act.”

Seemingly fearing for people’s jobs, a fifth TikTok user said: “Welp goodbye to all those jobs who are involved in making art and film. The whole design process can now be skipped by AI.”

Others called for ‘regulation now’.

Interestingly, earlier this month, the UK government announced that it was pledging ‘£100 million to support regulators and advance research and innovation on AI, including Hubs in healthcare and chemical discovery’.

Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology, Michelle Donelan said: “The UK’s innovative approach to AI regulation has made us a world leader in both AI safety and AI development.

“I am personally driven by AI’s potential to transform our public services and the economy for the better – leading to new treatments for cruel diseases like cancer and dementia, and opening the door to advanced skills and technology that will power the British economy of the future.

“AI is moving fast, but we have shown that humans can move just as fast. By taking an agile, sector-specific approach, we have begun to grip the risks immediately, which in turn is paving the way for the UK to become one of the first countries in the world to reap the benefits of AI safely.”