Beyond deep fakes: Conceptual framework, applications, and research agenda for neural rendering of realistic digital faces

Neural rendering (NR) has emerged as a novel technology for the generation and animation of realistic digital human faces. NR is based on machine learning techniques such as generative adversarial networks and is used to infer human face features and their animation from large amounts of (video) training data. NR shot to prominence with the deep fake phenomenon, the malicious and unwanted use of someone’s face for deception or satire. In this paper we demonstrate that the potential uses of NR far outstrip its use for deep fakes. We contrast NR approaches with traditional computer graphics approaches, discuss typical types of NR applications in digital face generation, and derive a conceptual framework for both guiding the design of digital characters, and for classifying existing NR use cases. We conclude with research ideas for studying the potential applications and implications of NR-based digital characters