Entre o real e o artificial

: o futuro da reality TV na era do deepfake

Abstract

Television entertainment, which includes reality shows, has evolved to keep up with and incorporate technological trends and innovations. This dissertation aims to study how Artificial Intelligence, hereinafter referred to as AI, and particularly deepfake technology, is being incorporated into reality TV as an innovation and novelty, and how AI may or may not gain even more expression in this industry, based on the case of the Spanish reality show “Falso Amor”, launched in 2023, available on Netflix. The aim is to answer two research questions: How was deepfake used in the reality show “Falso Amor” and What potential repercussions could deepfake technology have on the production of reality shows in the Iberian context? In addition to tracing the evolution of reality TV, framing it within the audiovisual industry, this research aims to understand how new technologies are being applied in this industry and what the associated ethical challenges are. The methodological approach is of a mixed nature, comprising content analysis of all episodes of the show “Falso Amor” and interviews with professionals in the reality TV industry. The results allow us to conclude that the content generated by deepfake is in line with what is expected of a reality dating show, by exploring the intimacy of the participants in front of the audience. It was found that this technology was used not only to simulate intimate moments, such as kissing and sexual relations, but also to manipulate conversations and simulate withdrawals. Although deepfake technology has been able to create parallel narratives, making the program more dramatic and possibly interesting, it still has technical limitations. In addition, its use in reality TV shows raises ethical questions that could become an obstacle to its adoption and expansion within the genre.

Date of Award	18 Feb 2025
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Catarina Valdigem (Supervisor)