The guy who created Tom Cruise deepfake videos on TikTok now owns an AI company

• Chris Umé, the creator behind those Tom Cruise deepfake videos on TikTok has launched a company called Metaphysic.
• The company uses deepfake technology to make ads where they show the younger self of people or even bring back the deceased.
• Metaphysic also says that it believes in the ethical use of deepfake videos, a technology that is regarded as highly dangerous.

Remember those viral deepfake Tom Cruise videos on TikTok? The creator behind those videos has turned it into a profession by launching a company called Metaphysic to make hyperrealistic videos with AI.

Chris Umé, a visual and AI effects artist based out of Bangkok, created deepfake videos of Tom Cruise with the help of an actor and impersonator, Miles Fisher. The videos show Cruise doing things like playing golf, showing off a magic trick and even biting on a lollipop. These videos quickly garnered millions of views with multiple reuploads on different social media apps as well.

The problem with deepfakes

The idea behind deepfake videos is to make fake videos look realistic with the help of AI but this technology has mostly received negative criticism due to the dangerous possibilities it offers. There have been cases of deepfake technology used mostly in pornography to create non-consensual adult videos. There’s also the worry that deepfake could be used to manipulate elections by making fake videos of politicians. Deepfake videos still have a long way to go as most of the popular ones can be easily recognised as fake but the technology is evolving and it will only get better.

Ethical use of deepfake videos

Metaphysic however claims to be different by saying that this technology can actually be used for fun, and to highlight the possibilities of visual effects. Chris Ume joined hands with his brother Kevin Umé and London-based tech entrepreneur Tom Graham to launch Metaphysic. “Our mission is to expand the frontiers of human expression through the ethical application of AI and build a future where everyone can create deeply relevant and delightful content for the communities they care about,” reads the about section of Metaphysic.

According to a report by CNN, the Metaphysic founders want to create deepfake videos that can “do everything from making older entertainers appear younger to creating video doubles of famous people that can be used to make commercials.” It’s also not about just making deepfake videos but actually making them look as realistic as possible.


Some examples of the kind of work Metaphysic does include a Gillette razor campaign featuring the American athlete Deion Sanders but in a young 1989 look. The company also brought back two deceased Belgium Football team managers back to life in a campaign for the Belgian Football Association.

Metaphysic is also taking an ethical approach for their work by making sure that they get official permission for the subjects they use. In case of the Tom Cruise deepfakes, they were created for fun and Umé did reach out to the Hollywood actor’s management team but did not get a response. He also said that he’s ready to take the videos down and even hand over the TikTok account if Cruise doesn’t approve of it.

SEE ALSO:

The Tom Cruise deepfakes were hard to create. But less sophisticated 'shallowfakes' are already wreaking havoc
'Liar's dividend': The more we learn about deepfakes, the more dangerous they become