Skip to main content
All Posts By

admin

Deepfakes evolve again: now they can fake human heartbeat and escape detection tools

By NEWSNo Comments
Deepfakes evolve again: now they can fake human heartbeat and escape detection tools

21.05.2025

Researchers in Berlin reveal that the latest generation of deepfake videos now successfully mimics a realistic heartbeat, making recognition significantly more difficult.

Deepfake creators use deep learning to manipulate videos and audio files. They alter facial expressions and gestures, for example swapping these between different people. Their purpose isn’t necessarily malign: for example, apps that can turn you into a cat or digitally age you are immensely popular and harmless fun, but still there are people our there that use it in a malicious way.

Algorithms for recognising fake videos have until recently relied on remote pulse reading to distinguish them from genuine videos of people through so-called “remote photoplethysmography” (rPPP), a technique that detects subtle changes in skin colour associated with blood circulation. But new research published in the journal Frontiers in Imaging shows that this technology is no longer reliable and outdated. This worrying development makes it necessary for deepfake detectors to become more powerful.

“Here we show for the first time that recent high-quality deepfake videos can feature a realistic heartbeat and minute changes in the color of the face, which makes them much harder to detect,” said Prof. Peter Eisert from Humboldt University of Berlin, the lead author of the study.

“Our results show that a realistic heartbeat may be added by an attacker on purpose, but can also be ‘inherited’ inadvertently from the driving genuine video. Small variations in skin tone of the real person get transferred to the deepfake together with facial motion, so that the original pulse is replicated in the fake video,” said Eisert. This revelation poses new challenges for the fight against misinformation, especially in the context of political campaigns and online manipulation.

However, the researchers are optimistic: while the pulse as a whole can be faked, local changes in facial blood flow remain difficult to mimic. These are what the next generations of deepfake protection algorithms should focus on.

“Our experiments have shown that current deepfakes may show a realistic heartbeat, but do not show physiologically realistic variations in blood flow across space and time within the face,” said Eisert. “We suggest that this weakness of state-of-the-art deepfakes should be exploited by the next generation of deep fake detectors.”

Details

Website

www.frontiersin.org

Target audience

Digital skills for all

Digital skills for ICT professionals

Digital technology

Artificial Intelligence

AI Leap 2025: Estonia Sets Global Benchmark for AI Integration in Education

By NEWS, Без категорияNo Comments
AI Leap 2025: Estonia Sets Global Benchmark for AI Integration in Education

10.05.2025

Estonia is preparing to take a major step forward in education with the launch of its AI Leap 2025 initiative, a program aimed at integrating advanced artificial intelligence tools into classrooms across the country. The initiative will equip both students and teachers with access to AI-powered educational technologies, along with training on how to use them effectively during the learning process. 

Beginning this autumn, the program will reach its first phase, targeting 20,000 high school students in grades 10 and 11, while 3,000 teachers will receive specialized instructions in AI applications. Later, the initiative will be expanded to more high school students and vocational institutions.

The concept behind AI Leap 2025 draws inspiration from Estonia’s groundbreaking Tiger Leap project of the 1990s, which brought internet connectivity and computers to every school, laying the foundation for country’s success in the digital sector. With AI Leap, policymakers aim to ensure that Estonian youth are well-versed in AI, positioning the nation as a leader in digital innovation.

The program is being already developed through a public-private partnership with major AI companies, including OpenAI and Anthropic. The program is open to collaboration with any and all partners who meet their needs and have useful solutions to offer. Partners will be engaged in co-creation of the curriculum, workshops, and solutions. 

In a recent interview with the e-Estonia Briefing Centre, Siim Sikkut, a member of Estonian President Alar Karis’s Digital Council, a managing partner in Digital Nation, and a core figure behind the launch of AI Leap, shared insights into the program’s vision.

On question “What is the background of the AI Leap program?” Mr. Sikkut answers: “The program’s context is the realisation that AI is here to stay. Using and creating AI tools is already an essential skill for productivity. Still, it will become a critical skill for remaining competitive at the personal, company, and national levels. As a country, we need to build this base skillset fast.” 

The program was initiated by Estonian President Alar Karis, who convened a roundtable of leading tech entrepreneurs in December, at which the current idea was born. President Karis assigned his Digital Council to lead the development of the initiative, in collaboration with various entrepreneurs and the Ministry of Education.

Mr. Sikkut adds that the development of the curriculum for AI Leap 2025 is being led by Estonia’s Ministry of Education and Research, with the support of diverse working groups that include teachers, students, academics, business representatives, and other community stakeholders. They will start by defining the target competencies for skilling and then move on to the creation of specific curricula, learning tools, relevant training programs, etc.. While the full content of the learning process is still being finalized, the initiative is designed to be dynamic and adaptive, not a one-time effort. AI Leap is intentionally structured as an experimental, evolving program that will help identify the most effective ways to incorporate AI into education. 

The first phase will begin in autumn 2025 with initial training for teachers, focusing on understanding and applying AI in the classroom. Shortly after, students will gain access to the world’s best AI-powered learning applications. This training will include an overview of the use and understanding of AI technology and recommendations on personalising learning according to each student’s needs and optimising and empowering teaching. Importantly, the goal is not for AI to replace educators or traditional methods but to enhance the learning experience, empower teachers, and better prepare students for a future where AI is an integral part of everyday life and work.

While speaking about the long-term goal of the AI Leap 2025, Mr. Sikkut mentions: “The long-term goal is to maintain Estonia’s high level of education, increase Estonians’ global breakthrough ability, and smoothly integrate AI into education to ensure the best possible learning. We want to make teaching more efficient, personalised, diverse, and inclusive. We also want to reduce the digital technology divide and prevent a new divide between those who are AI savvy and those who are not.”

As for each innovation, there is a dose of skepticism for AI Leap 2025. Mr. Sikkut  explains that the initiative won’t negatively impact the education and learning process because AI is already part of students’ lives but without structured integration into education. So it is better to incorporate AI into education in the most effective, organised and systematic way, rather than leave it to chance, which can lead to more negative results. Together with that, it’s vital for the program to ensure that every student has an equal access to AI resources and evenly benefits from it, since not everyone has or can afford AI applications. Concerns about excessive screen time and smartphone dependency are also acknowledged – but AI Leap is not about increasing device use, it’s about changing its purpose. The goal is to shift smart device use from passive consumption and entertainment to active learning and skill development. 

Estonia is positioning itself as a global pioneer by being among the first nations to implement AI integration across its entire education system – not just in select schools or regions but nationwide. By launching AI Leap 2025, Estonia not only aims to enhance its own educational outcomes but also hopes to serve as a model for other countries. The nation is committed to sharing its experiences and insights, helping others learn from its journey.

Details

Website

www.e-estonia.com

Target audience

Digital skills for all

Digital skills in education

Digital skills for children

Digital technology

Artificial Intelligence

Digital Education

Outcome document of the Conference “A Space for the Metaverse – Virtual World and the Transition to WEB 4.0”

By INSPIRATION: Strategic documents, Regional strategy, Scope of the strategyNo Comments
Outcome document of the Conference "A Space for the Metaverse - Virtual World and the Transition to WEB 4.0"

10.04.2025

The European Commission and the 2025 Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU are organising a Global Multistakeholder High Level Conference on the governance of Web 4.0 and Virtual Worlds, on 31 March and 1 April 2025.

Objectives and expected outcomes

The conference aims at triggering a global discussion on the principles for the global governance of Web 4.0 and virtual worlds feeding into the World Summit on the Information Society 20 years review (WSIS+20).

The event will bring together, from all over the world, high-level policymakers, technologists, academics, and community leaders who will collaboratively propose governance models of virtual worlds. It will focus on policy solutions for an ethical, value-driven shift to Web 4.0. and standardisation issues related to virtual worlds (including internet standards) and its technical management. Alignment of those governance frameworks with the multi-stakeholder model of internet governance will also be a salient topic of discussion.

Outcomes of the conference

The conference Input paper (available under the tab “background document” below), produced before the conference based on extensive stakeholder consultations, was discussed and subject to rough consensus during the event, paving the way for the production of the conference Outcome paper.

The discussion notably enriched the outcome document by explicitly integrating concrete governance challenges and opportunities related to emerging technologies, particularly regarding digital divides, human rights – including children’s rights – and the evolution of the multistakeholder model.

The conference Outcome paper is a contribution to the global debate on high-level, foundational principles for the emerging fourth generation of the web.

Call for participants statements and contributions (closed)

Each conference parallel session (see agenda below) will consist in:

  1. Short opening remarks from the moderators and subject matter experts, to frame the discussion;
  2. Several participants statements;
  3. A general open discussion.

To facilitate informed and productive dialogue during these parallel sessions, participants will have access to background documents prior to the conference. These materials have been developed through extensive consultations with a wide range of stakeholders, ensuring that diverse perspectives are included in the preparation process. For more information on the steps and methodology underpinning the background documents please consult the project website.

The background documents provide both technical background and prescriptive insights on the governance of Web 4.0, furnishing participants with valuable insights and context to inform their contributions and enhance the overall quality of the discussions. They will be published under background material on this page. Attendees are encouraged to review these documents in advance to fully engage with the subject matter and contribute meaningfully to the conference.

Individuals and organisations interested in sharing their position on the topic, highlighting key areas of agreement or disagreement, are invited to register their willingness to provide participant statements through this survey by the 14th of March 2025. Two minutes will be allocated to each statement.

For logistics reasons, only in person participants will be able to register and deliver participants statements. Individuals and organisations can choose to deliver participants statements in as many parallel sessions as they wish. Online participants are invited to take part in the open discussions, without any requirement to indicate ex ante their willingness to intervene.

Individuals and organisations who will deliver participants statements will be able to share a written input (i.e., transcript of their statement and/or additional considerations) to be made available to all participants through the conference website.

Logistics

The event will take place at the Charlemagne Building, Rue de la Loi 170, Brussels and online. Connection details for online participants will be shared shortly before the start of the conference.

Background

The conference delivers on Action 9 of the European Commission Communication “An EU initiative on Web 4.0 and virtual worlds: a head start in the next technological transition“ which was adopted in 2023. This action requires the European Commission to “engage with existing multi-stakeholder internet governance institutions to design open and interoperable virtual worlds [from Q4 2023]; and support the creation of a technical multi-stakeholder forum to address certain aspects of virtual worlds and Web 4.0 beyond the remit of existing internet governance bodies [from Q1 2024].

 

You can read the outcome document of the Conference “A Space for the Metaverse – Virtual World and the Transition to WEB 4.0”    HERE

Details

Target audience

Digital skills for all

Digital technology 

Artificial intelligence

Metaverse

Internet of things

Web development

Scope of the strategy

Regional strategy

Organisation

European Commision

Stakeholders involvement 

The outcome document is implemented with the support of the Polish Embassy