Man convicted in Scotland for creating and sharing AI deepfake nudes
Callum Brooks, 25, was convicted in Glasgow Sheriff Court after pleading guilty to creating and sharing AI-generated deepfake nude images of a former high school friend without her knowledge or consent. The woman discovered the images in February 2024 when shown them by one of Brooks' friends and reported the incident to police, stating the images were disturbingly lifelike.
What happened
Callum Brooks, 25, from Glasgow, obtained software that used AI to alter images. He took two fully-clothed pictures that a woman from his high school had posted on Instagram on 24 June 2022 and used the software to make her appear nude, creating one full-length image and one from the waist up.
Brooks sent the altered images to two friends without the woman's knowledge or consent. In February 2024, one of Brooks' friends showed the images to the woman, and she reported the matter to police. Brooks pleaded guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to disclosing a photograph of the woman in an intimate situation without her consent.
Reported impact
The woman was immediately embarrassed and humiliated when shown the images. She confirmed that the images were lifelike.
Index analysis
Brooks claimed there was no sexual element to his actions, which was accepted by the Crown. His defence lawyer stated the intention was to demonstrate what the software could do, which was novel at the time, and that Brooks much regretted his actions.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.