AI Avatars vs. Faceswaps: Creating Digital Souls, Not Just Masks

Quite recently (however, long ago in the world of AI, which moves breathtakingly fast), powered by artificial intelligence, ‘faceswap’ had become the talk of the internet— more for negative reasons than good. It fascinated people, sparked debates, and even caused fear about its misuse.

I remember the first time I saw a faceswap video online (and that came before I got into training AI characters). It was startling, almost magical—like witnessing someone stepping into another identity for just a fleeting moment.

Then, I learnt how easy it was to achieve basic results. Of course, it was not perfect out-of-the-box. But after meddling with the settings for a few days, I could do a respectable job, almost similar to what I saw in that initial video.

And just like that, I had learnt the seemingly all-powerful, modern-day voodoo! But here’s the harsh truth—faceswaps are just a fraction of what AI is capable of. They alter reality, but they don’t create anything new!

To not confuse anyone who reads this any further (and I know it confuses a lot of people), there are two common versions of faceswaps out there: one, where you make use of the face of an existing, real-life person and another, where you craft an entirely new, AI-generated face. However, the premise remains the same— you doctor the photo or video of a real-life person, swapping the face of the person with either another real-life face or an imaginary one.

On the other hand, AI avatars are not constrained by pre-existing footage. Instead, they are built from the ground up, unique and full of life. And that’s exactly what I do now—I bring AI avatars to life. So let me share my experience and walk you through what makes AI avatars so different—and in many ways, so much more empowering than faceswaps.

Faceswaps are, at their core, digital masks. They manipulate existing videos or photos to make one person’s face look like another’s. Whether it’s for entertainment or mischief, faceswaps are rooted in altering what’s already there. They are often used in parodies, comedy skits, and unfortunately, even misinformation campaigns.

Think of faceswaps like rearranging the pieces of a puzzle—changing appearances but never changing the story. The video or image still belongs to the original source; it’s simply been doctored to look different. This is why faceswaps often feel eerie. They blur the line between real and fake without crossing over into creation.

This is where AI avatars come in and break that boundary— they stand for creation, not manipulation!

AI avatars are not masks—they’re personalities. They are entirely new beings created by artificial intelligence, designed to have their own look, style, and even voice. They are not tied to any real-life footage or physical person. Instead, they are digital characters, built pixel by pixel, trained to grow, adapt, and even resonate emotionally.

Of course, you can choose how much of ‘you’ you want to inject in your ‘AI avatar’, like my own creation @AvtrShweta, is a ‘digital twin’ designed to connect with people, not just visually but emotionally—crafted to inspire, share positivity, and create meaningful conversations about mental health and self-love.

Now, to make it easier for everyone to understand— if I wanted, I could have chosen to inject ‘less or no me’ into my avatar at all. She could be a completely imaginative entity, not recognizable to anyone. To put it simply, she does not have to exist in the real world to exist in the digital one!

However, irrespective of my choice above, when I create her images or videos, I create them from head to heel, entirely from scrap. Her body postures, clothing, and in fact even the environments are all AI-generated (though note here that I can choose to place her in existing environments and locations as well).

It is my belief that the emotional core of AI avatars also sets them apart. Faceswaps often evoke surprise or humor, but they rarely leave a lasting emotional impact. They are quick tricks—a momentary illusion. AI avatars, however, can build relationships. They can be a source of comfort, motivation, or even companionship. For instance, mental health is a deeply personal topic for me, and using AI to promote self-care feels both innovative and heartfelt. Imagine receiving a feel-good message from a virtual friend who’s always there to uplift you. That’s not manipulation; that’s connection. For me, this emotional capability is what drives my work.

Since we’re down to busting myths, let’s bust them some more: I often hear people lump AI avatars and faceswaps into the same category, calling both "deepfakes" (a term which has gained even more notoriety than faceswaps). While understanding this term in detail requires a deeper dive (and trust me, things get blurrier going forward, but I’ll continue to demystify them for you!), but put simply, deepfakes focus on deception, while AI avatars focus on expression! This distinction is important, especially today, when trust and authenticity matter more than ever.

AI avatars showcase how technology can be used for good—to tell stories, raise awareness, and even offer support during difficult times. They bridge the gap between technology and humanity, proving that artificial intelligence can have heart. Faceswaps may always have their place in entertainment, but AI avatars? They have a role in shaping the future. And as someone who’s part of that journey, I couldn’t be more excited.