To show just how much was at stake with the rise of deepfake technology, Steak-umm deepfaked unsuspecting vegans under the guise of a focus group. With a combination of off-the-shelf AI software and models, we deepfaked our interviews within 20 minutes of filming. We then showed the results for reactions.

Our online film compiling the experience was a way to entertain and educate everyday consumers. By placing vegans at the center of our campaign, the severity was clear. If a deepfake can make vegans say they love meat, imagine what a deepfake could make you say.

We had seen the deepfakes of world leaders, politicians, and rockstars. These high-profile public figures are all fair game for a little A.I. deception. Despite this, there’s one group of people the world knows not to mess with: Vegans.

But that’s exactly what Steak-umm did; we deepfaked a group of unsuspecting vegans and turned them into red-blooded carnivores.

It was all fun and games when deepfakes were only an issue for celebrities. But now, thanks to rapid advancements in AI technology, the average person is just as much at risk. So Steak-umm used its “100% Real” brand platform to take on this dangerous new form of misinformation and prove an important point: if a deepfake can make vegans say they love meat, imagine what a deepfake could make you say.

In a focus group, vegans are interviewed about their values and meatless diet. Next they are served a cheesesteak and asked to give their feedback. The vegans who just enthused they'd never eat neat begin praising it, judging those who do not eat meat and devouring bite after bite.

It's revealed to viewers that what they just saw were deepfakes - a simulation similar to what our vegans experienced when they were brought back to watch their interviews only to discover they were deepfaked.

Our moderator ultimately explains that Steak-umm was seeking to prove how much is at stake with DeepSteaks.

Steak-umm is made of 100% real beef, and because we stand for 100% we're against anything fake. Deepfake tech was becoming more mainstream and we saw an opportunity to use our platform for an entertaining, and educational, prank/PSA.

The brief was to prove to everyday people in real-time how their identities were at risk of being deepfaked, just like celebrities and politicians. While bringing awareness to this issue, DeepSteaks also sent a critically important message about AI education and internet literacy. The campaign drove viewers to a site http://deepsteaks.ai/ where they could learn more about how to spot and safely engage with deepfakes, and take real action to support the DEEP FAKES Accountability Act (a congressional bill to promote the safe handling of deepfake tech).

Gaining 500 million earned media impressions, multiple viral posts on social (X, Instagram, TikTok), and a beefload of alarmed comments, Steak-umm brought a well-needed dose of reality to the artificial intelligence conversation and showed the world just how much is at stake with deepfakes.