Devs Hack Face-Swapping AI into Free Colab Notebook – No GPU Needed, Just Git Clones and Desperate Code Patches

A comprehensive guide has been released on building a Face Swap application using Google Colab, leveraging computer vision pipelines, ONNX models, and lightweight web UI deployment. The application runs entirely on CPU, eliminating the need for a local machine or GPU. Utilizing the InsightFace model, optimized for CPU execution, users can create a fully functional web UI without requiring CUDA or GPU drivers. The setup involves cloning the Face Swap UI repository, installing necessary Python packages, and applying specific fixes to ensure reliable execution in a Colab environment. With the help of Pinggy, a tunneling solution, the UI can be accessed externally through a public URL. This approach is ideal for demos, learning, and rapid prototyping, allowing users to experiment with AI-powered image processing without local setup issues. The application can be extended further by adding video support, batch processing, or custom UI features, making it a significant development in the field of computer vision.