While deepfake technology and AI-generated images have generated
concerns about their misuse in society, this opinion piece highlights
the potential benefits and applications of these technologies in
neuroscience research. Deepfakes have been utilised to create realistic,
dynamic face stimuli, allowing researchers to isolate and manipulate
specific features, expressions, and behaviours for a better
understanding of social perception. AI-generated medical and
neuroimaging scans have the potential to enhance the training of AI
models for automatically detecting rare neurological pathologies,
thereby aiding clinicians while also enhancing our understanding of
brain structure and function.The authors argue that experimental
psychologists and cognitive neuroscientists should stay informed about
these emerging tools and embrace their potential to advance the field of
visual neuroscience.