Midjourney, a popular AI image generator, has stopped its free trial amid a rise in deep fakes created by its technology. Deep fakes are digitally edited media that show someone doing or saying something they never did or said, and can be used to spread false information, influence opinions, and harm reputations.

One example of a deep fake that became viral was of Pope Francis wearing a white puffer jacket and a diamond-encrusted necklace. Another image-based deep fake showed former U.S. President Donald Trump being chased by police while mainstream news sources reported he might get arrested soon. Both showed an even more realistic effect than Photoshop fakes.

While Midjourney and other generative AI sites have set restrictions on inappropriate images, the use of deep fakes remains debatable. In order to prevent this kind of proliferation, Midjourney closed its free trial. Subscription plans cost $10 to $60 monthly, or an annual plan is available for an additional cost. It remains unknown how this will help the company solve the issue.

Generator AI sites raise important ethical questions since the images produced by them are not real. It's necessary to determine clear usage rules and restrictions in order to ensure that people don't misuse this technology to deceive others. Such technology shouldn't be available for free, and making users pay for it can help safety tests and additional restrictions. Furthermore, companies should also be held accountable for applications of deep fakes with their technology.



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