Meta's Creepy AI Celebrities
Entertainment
Introduction
Have you ever wished you could keep your loved ones close, even after they’re gone? The idea of chatting with them, reliving their laughter, and seeking their advice sounds comforting. In 2017, John Mayer, CEO of the artificial intelligence company Forever Voices, took this concept to heart by creating a chatbot version of his deceased father, allowing him to chat with him whenever he wanted. This development spurred an explosion in the AI market for bots based on real people, influencers, and celebrities.
Recently, Meta has jumped into this AI celebrity craze with intriguing new features. These features include customized stickers, an AI assistant, and a completely new cast of AI bots with unique backstories and niche expertise. However, unlike typical bots, these characters are voiced by cultural icons like Tom Brady, Naomi Osaka, and Snoop Dogg. Yet, there’s a catch: while the bots resemble and sound like these celebrities, their personalities may feel disconnected from what users expect.
The launch of these AI bots coincided with the ongoing strike by the Screen Actors Guild, which highlighted serious concerns about AI-generated content potentially replacing actors. Reportedly, Meta compensated celebrities up to $ 5 million each for just six hours of work, allowing them to fully utilize their likenesses. Meta's cutting-edge AI technology, known as LLaMA, has positioned the company favorably to take on high-profile AI projects.
Despite their star-studded line-up, user reception has not been entirely positive; many find the conversations awkward and unfulfilling. These AI bots might generate a semblance of familiarity with celebrities but often lack substantial engagement, leading to disappointment among users. Meta's strategy to introduce celebrity avatars is part of a broader effort to capture the younger audience increasingly moving to trendier competitors like TikTok.
The hope is that these bots will engage users for longer, allowing Meta to harvest more data, which can be monetized through personalized ads. However, this is fraught with risks, as data breaches can lead to personal information falling into the wrong hands.
At a time when social interaction is dwindling, people are spending more time engaging with media, leading to the formation of parasocial relationships between fans and celebrities. Meta’s AI bots complicate this dynamic further, offering an illusion of intimacy that can influence emotional and mental well-being.
As technology progresses, there’s concern about creating AI versions of celebrities that are indistinguishable from the real people. While some artists embrace this change, others express hesitance. Ultimately, as Meta's AI celebrity bots evolve, society may face the complex question of whether we want a world where AI becomes a stand-in for meaningful human connection.
Keyword
- AI celebrities
- John Mayer
- Meta
- Snoop Dogg
- Tom Brady
- LLaMA
- parasocial relationships
- data privacy
- emotional impact
FAQ
Q: What are Meta’s new AI celebrity bots?
A: Meta's AI celebrity bots are digital avatars voiced by famous personalities, designed to interact with users in various niche topics.
Q: How did Meta acquire the likeness of celebrities?
A: Celebrities were reportedly paid up to $ 5 million each for their image and voice rights after completing just six hours of work.
Q: Why are people concerned about these AI bots?
A: Many view the bots as creepy and awkward, creating unrealistic expectations about interactions with celebrity-like figures while also posing risks around data privacy.
Q: What are parasocial relationships?
A: Parasocial relationships are one-sided emotional bonds formed between fans and celebrities or influencers, where fans feel a connection despite no real interaction.
Q: What is the LLaMA technology?
A: LLaMA is Meta's advanced open-source AI technology used in creating these celebrity bots, which allows developers worldwide to access and improve the software.
Q: What is the broader implication of AI celebrity bots for society?
A: The introduction of AI celebrity bots raises questions about meaningful human connection, emotional well-being, and the potential for misinformation and misrepresentation in media.
