Whether or not AI can catch you wearing some piece of latex couture or replicate you wearing it to post a deep fake pic of you later (and if it would even want to), is yet to be seen. But concern over AI generators rendering wholly created images or mix-and-matching pieces of already existing pictures is surely a concern as we march ever closer to a possible Skynet take over.
And a British fashion student is doing her part to help us hide from AI.
According to COVER, BA Fashion Knitwear student, Kirsty Love, who attends Nottingham Trent University, designed a prototype skirt, ‘jumper’ and hat that can help the wearer hide from cameras. Using reflective yarn and special patterns, Kirsty’s couture confuses cameras and will prevent further detection by them by halting the snapping of a pic that could later be used by AI or some other facial recognition software.
It seems in her studies, Kirsty found a ‘glitch’ where distorted designs of human faces, hands, and bodies can confuse AI over…human faces; in Kristy’s wardrobe’s patterns she layers images in such a way that they appear blurry. Furthermore, her garments are illuminated when viewed through a camera, sunlight, or flash. All of this that Kirsty invests in her clothes creates a barrier that obscures specific details of her wardrobe wearer’s face. This invisible forcefield, existent in Kirsty’s unisex and oversized clothing, would protect people’s offline identities so outside sources couldn’t detect them.
This new study gives us the latest on how to spot AI deepfakes, but surely it seems Kristy might be onto something. But there are plenty of questions to consider: Would wearing Kristy’s clothes keep someone from being detected by the myriad of surveillance cameras we see set everywhere? And if so, is it illegal for a citizen to hide themselves this way? And then there is the question of…who is really looking for you and me, and to maybe further use our images in an AI generator.
And lastly, is Kristy’s clothing something Arnold might wear when coming through? Remember, he said he’d “be back.”
