A writer used Google's Gemini AI to create deepfaked videos of a child's stuffed deer, Buddy, replicating scenes from a Google advertisement for the tool. The Verge published an image of the AI-generated deer this week, showing how minimal effort produces realistic results.
What the Writer Tried
The author fed prompts into Gemini to simulate vacation footage of the plush toy. It wasn't hard. They just copied the Google ad's style. No technical skills were needed. The experiment stayed private—they never showed the clips to their four-year-old.
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Verge Published the Proof
The outlet ran a single image of the AI-crafted deer. It looked real. That's all. No extra claims. The post went live Wednesday, matching Google's recent push to promote Gemini's video features.
Why This Isn't Just a Gag
Using a stuffed animal bypassed standard AI detection. Current safeguards focus on human faces. It's a blind spot. That's troubling for digital trust. Crypto projects dealing in NFTs or non-human assets could face similar scams. The tech is here and it's cheap.
What Was Left Unseen
The writer chose not to show the deepfakes to their child. Smart move. It highlights how easily this could twist family-oriented projects. A fake toy video might seem harmless. But it erodes confidence in what's real. That's the quiet danger.
The technique required only Gemini and a stuffed deer. Google hasn't responded to questions about potential safeguards for non-human subjects. With similar tools spreading, how platforms address these gaps will matter more than any single experiment.
