Would you let your deepfake teach?

Deepfakes (Generative AI copies of an individual) are becoming increasingly common, as new technologies have reduced costs and improved accuracy. Deepfakes can portray individuals saying and doing things that they have never said or done, which threatens the truth value of audio-visual media and poses grave societal consequences. In academia, there are concerns that deepfake technologies could result in a shift in the role of the educator, who could theoretically ‘outsource’ teaching to a deepfake avatar of themselves. In this research project, we sought to explore how higher education staff (including educators, researchers, and professional staff) perceived and intended to use deepfake technologies in a higher education context, framed through the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2). A multiple channel survey was distributed online, and data was collected from 258 respondents on behavioural intention regarding deepfakes, as well as additional data on the perceived risks and benefits of this technology to higher education.  The preliminary results and potential impacts of the project are discussed.

Jasper is an educational technologist with a background in English teaching, discourse analysis and sociology. Before joining Durham, Jasper held senior academic leadership roles in both Vietnam and Singapore. Jasper's research focuses on Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI), academic integrity, assessment, and higher education. Jasper is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA).