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AIAAIC-0929

NVIDIA Eye Contact deemed 'creepy', 'terrifying'

A n AI-powered tool created by NVIDIA that adjusts users' eyes in real-time video streams to create the illusion of constant eye contact was slammed as "creepy" and "terrifying". NVIDIA's Eye Contact feature uses deep learning to make it appear like your webcam image is star ing into the camera, even if you're looking away in real life . The effect is achieved by replacing your eyes in the video stream with software-controlled simulated eyeballs with replicated eye colour and blink patterns that always stare directly into the camera. Some commentators praised it for its ability to fool people into thinking you are constantly paying attention and looking into the camera. However, others reckoned it is "unnnatural", "creepy" and "terrifying". Tom's Hardware journalist Jarred Walton questioned whether Eye Contact is needed. "If you want to look like you're looking at the camera, you should probably learn to look... at the camera," he pointed out. System 🤖 NVIDIA Eye Contact Documents 📃 NVIDIA Broadcast 1.4 Adds Eye Contact and Vignette Effects With Virtual Background Enhancements Operator: NVIDIA Developer: NVIDIA Country: USA; Global Sector: Media/entertainment/sports/arts Purpose: Mimic eye retina Technology: Computer vision; Deep learning; Gaze redirection algorithm Issue: Appropriateness/need

Date it happened
2023-01-01
Organisation involved
NVIDIA
Product, system or model
Eye Contact
Where this came from
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