Singer Kate Ceberano reveals shock at deepfake artificial intelligence post showing her crying about late friend Sam Neill
’You were tricked and I kinda think this is just the beginning.’
ARIA Hall of Fame inductee Kate Ceberano “nearly threw up” after coming across a deepfake post showing her mourning the death of late actor Sam Neill.
The artificial intelligence creation depicted a tearful Ceberano holding up a phone with a photo of herself embracing the Jurassic Park star.
It carried the caption “Kate Ceberano mourned her dear friend Sam Neill by sharing their final photo together from his last public appearance”.
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“My first interaction with an AI version of myself. I nearly threw up,” she shared on Facebook, Instagram and X.
“I feel sorry to the good people who wrote meaningful comments to this specious post.
“You were tricked and I kinda think this is just the beginning. I’m speechless!”
The performer was flooded with hundreds of comments, many offering messages of support and others calling out the unsettling nature of the “grim new reality upon us”.
“People need to question everything because reality as we know it is being manipulated big time,” said one.
“Sorry you were targeted Kate. I’m sure it feels quite violating and humiliating to experience.”
The AI creation depicting Ceberano was shared by Golden Era Hollywood, a Facebook page with more about 330,000 followers and countless other posts involving celebrities.
“Kate Ceberano’s final photograph with Sam Neill has become a deeply emotional memory,” it said in its upload involving the Australian.
“The two looked happy as they enjoyed the evening together, never knowing it would be their last public moment.
“After his passing, she remembered the laughter and warmth they shared, honouring not only the celebrated actor the world admired, but the kind and genuine friend she was fortunate to know.”
One of the hundreds of people that replied to the deepfake post said: “I’m so sorry for the loss of your dear friend, I think we’re all grieving.”
7NEWS.com.au has sought comment from the people running the Facebook page, but are yet to hear back.
Neill and Ceberano were friends and did pose together at the ARIA Hall of Fame Awards in June.
The event was one of Neill’s final appearances in public.
“Great night in Sydney. Four women I have idolised for decades were honoured. Jenny Morris, Kate Ceberano, and Vika and Linda Bull,” Neill shared on Instagram.
“Jenny was inducted into the Hall by no less than our former NZ PM, Jacinda Ardern. Another hero.”
Ceberano shared a sweet snap of the pair from the evening in a tribute following his death.
It was the same snap used in the AI post.
“I sang with you in Molokai whilst you played your ukulele. Your gentle heart and radiant smile made me feel seen and loved,” she said.
“You will always be one of the special souls it has been such a pleasure to know you .
“Aloha ‘Oe til we meet again dear Sam.”
Ceberano’s frustration comes after an Australian-led team revealed they had successfully trained people to identify AI generated faces.
Major advances in artificial intelligence has powered hyper-realistic deepfake images, video and audio, making it challenging to distinguish what is authentic and what is artificial, and presenting major hazards.
“Deepfake fraud is a real and growing problem,” UNSW Sydney IDeA Lab director Dr James Dunn told 7NEWS.com.au.
“AI-generated faces can make fake profiles, romance scams and misinformation campaigns appear more credible, and Interpol reports that synthetic images are already being used in social-engineering schemes worldwide.”
About one in four Australians say they have come across a deepfake scam in the past years, according to a study from the Commonwealth Bank.
Originally published as Aussie star ‘nearly threw up’ after first encounter with worrying trend
