By Matt Burgess
Publication Date: 2025-12-18 17:45:00
The Chinese-language artificial Intelligence app Haotian is so effective that it has made millions of dollars selling its face-swapping technology on Telegram. The service easily integrates with messaging platforms like WhatsApp and WeChat and claims users can adjust up to 50 settings – including the ability to adjust things like cheekbone size and eye position – to mimic the face they’re imitating. But while Haotian is a robust and versatile platform, researchers and WIRED’s own analysis have found that the service is marketed to so-called “pig slaughter” scammers and those running online fraud operations in Southeast Asia.
Scammers have used Haotian and other deepfake tools to make their deceptions easier to prove by allowing victims to video chat with the character they believe they were talking to as part of an investment opportunity, a friendship or even a romantic relationship. Cryptocurrency tracing firm Elliptic’s analysis of four…