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Undress AI tools controversy, How many such apps are in the market?

In recent years, the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has brought about many innovations, but not all of them have been welcomed.

By Ground report 02 Jan 2024

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In recent years, the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has brought about many innovations, but not all of them have been welcomed. A controversial use of AI technology is the creation of apps that can digitally remove clothing from images of women, often referred to as ‘nudify’ apps. These apps, known as "AI nudifiers" or "deepnude" apps, raise serious ethical and legal questions about privacy, consent, and the potential for misuse.

The AI Nudify app controversy has sparked a significant debate over the ethical use of artificial intelligence. These apps, which use AI to digitally remove clothing from images of women, have raised concerns about privacy, consent, and the potential for abuse.

MP Maria Miller has called for a parliamentary debate on whether such tools should be banned, as they can generate nude and sexually explicit images without consent, which she believes should be outlawed.

AI Nudify app controversy

In September alone, researchers at the social network analysis firm Graphika found that 24 million people visited the so-called "nudify" or "undressing" services, which use AI algorithms to apply to actual photos of clothed women to generate fake nude images.

Graphika states that many of these services, which undress or "nudify," exploit popular social networks for marketing. For instance, since the beginning of this year, researchers noted a more than 2,400% increase in the number of links advertising undressing apps on social media, including on X and Reddit. These services utilize AI to modify an image so that it appears nude. Many of these services are exclusively effective on women.

Companies often openly market these services on platforms like Reddit and Telegram, with some ads even suggesting that users send the fake nudes back to the victim herself. The Nudify app sponsors YouTube content and ranks first in Google searches, despite violating most site policies. However, these services still operate largely unchecked.

Undress AI tools: Non-consensual images

One of the most notable examples of such an app is DeepSukebe, which promises to “reveal the truth hidden under clothes.” The app has faced criticism for enabling the creation of non-consensual nude images, which can be used for harassment or exploitation.

The number of these apps in the market is not precisely known, as many operate in a legal grey area and are not openly advertised. However, the demand for such tools is evident, with search engines recording over 200,000 searches per month for keywords related to undressing apps. This indicates a significant interest in the technology, despite the ethical concerns.

How many such Undress AI tools are in the market?

The controversy surrounding AI ‘nudify’ apps has raised significant concerns about privacy, consent, and the potential for abuse. These apps use artificial intelligence to create nude images of individuals without their consent, which has led to calls for bans and debates on the legality of such tools.

"In December 2022, Graphika, a social-media analysis firm, reported that over 24 million unique visitors were attracted to a group of 34 "undressing" websites and apps in September. This same report identified 34 specific platforms offering this functionality.