A group of researchers with Samsung Labs have developed improved neural head avatar technology to the megapixel resolution. Using an animated driving image, the team has proposed a new set of neural architectures and training methods to deal with 'the particularly challenging task of cross-driving synthesis.'

The team has developed convincing neural avatars of historical figures and even some modern celebrities. The neural architecture takes a supplied driving image, which is a video of a person making different facial expressions and movements. It then applies to a static image, like a painted portrait or photograph. The system then turns the static image into a motion graphic where the head and face of the subject correspond to the movements of the driving image.

Source: https://www.dpreview.com/news/8230506583/megaportraits-samsung-ai-center-researchers-develop-animated-megapixel-neural-head-avatars