An online marketplace called Civitai, backed by venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, allows users to purchase custom instruction files for generating AI deepfakes of real women, including celebrities. A recent analysis found that 90% of deepfake requests on the site targeted women, with many users seeking high-quality models to create explicit images.

The study, conducted by researchers at Stanford and Indiana University, examined user requests on the site, known as "bounties," between mid-2023 and the end of 2024. The findings showed that 86% of deepfake requests were for LoRAs, or instruction files that can coach mainstream AI models into generating content they were not trained to produce.

Users on the site requested deepfakes of public figures, such as influencers and singers, often providing links to their social media profiles to obtain images. Some requests specified requirements for the generated images, including accurate capture of tattoos or the ability to change hair color.

The discovery of these deepfake requests has raised concerns about the platform’s role in facilitating the creation of explicit content. The debate surrounding deepfakes has centered on what platforms should do to block such content, and Civitai’s situation is particularly complex due to its marketplace model.