AI has turned South Park into a real-life sitcom and it's disturbing

Artificial intelligence is continuing to exert its power over pop culture, sparing no one, from the Pope to Will Smith.

And now, it’s transforming everyone’s favourite cartoon characters into reality, with unsettling results.

The YouTube creator known as demonflyingfox has used deepfake technology to convert South Park’s protagonists into stunningly convincing flesh-and-blood people.

From Chef to Cartman, the YouTuber has reimagined members of the iconic animated cast as a “live action” sitcom, and viewers are in awe.

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“At first I thought this was a mediocre attempt at a real-life South Park intro with real actors, but then I realized this was made with AI. This is insane,” one wrote.

“This almost feels like it was pulled straight from an alternate timeline where the show got a real-life adaptation from like that late 80's early 90's style to the colouration and look of the video. It's actually better than what I'd have pictured for a real-life casting…,” said another.

Another commentator mused: “I feel like ten years ago people thought AI would eventually replace a lot of jobs, but that art would always need a human touch to be appealing. But oddly enough it seems like artistic professions might end up being the first to be taken over by AI.”

South Park as a Liveaction Sitcom | Midjourney V5 + Animationwww.youtube.com

Indeed, artificial intelligence’s ability to create images of beauty, shock, and deception seems destined to remain a hot topic, given the proliferation of credible fakes.

Celebrities continue to fight against their inclusion in deepfake pornography, and media outlets are having to battle against the likes of thoseTrump “arrest” photos.

Still, as artists like demonflyingfox and Hidreley Diao – the man behind the “real-life” Simpsons – prove that as long as we keep AI’s use lighthearted and safe, it can be a lot of fun.

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