AI-created “virtual influencers” are stealing business from humans::Brands are turning to hyper-realistic, AI-generated influencers for promotions.

  • trackcharlie@lemmynsfw.com
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    10 months ago

    Did a complete idiot write this article? How the fuck are you allowed to report on business without the basic understanding of technological innovation and its impact on business relationships and transitioning business operations?

    Does this dumb motherfucker think that we still have horse and buggy businesses and children working looms?

  • brsrklf@jlai.lu
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    11 months ago

    Ok, I’m all for worrying about the impact of AI in jobs but… Living advertisements are easy to replace, what a suprise.

    People who make actual interesting and/or funny videos, those that require personal work and are a direct result of the creator’s skills or interests, are not really at risk of this.

    Wow, a bunch of assholes just getting paid for showing you free stuff they got, pretending to be relatable and your friend while evading their taxes in Dubai, may be out of business. And think of those parents who won’t be able to exploit their kids by getting them free toys and exposing them to the whole world!

    I don’t think I will lose any sleep over this.

    • quo@feddit.uk
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      11 months ago

      People who make actual interesting and/or funny videos, those that require personal work and are a direct result of the creator’s skills or interests, are not really at risk of this.

      AI has created entire episodes already. Of South Park and Seinfeld, by hobbyists. It’s not high quality today, but Pika AI just got released and with the pace of updates we will get to replacing everything soon.

      • brsrklf@jlai.lu
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        11 months ago

        They’ve chosen series with huge amounts of existing content to imitate and got bad stuff from it. I am not too worried for people making more personal content.

        Yeah, maybe some time in the future you’ll get infinite serial AI content with basic entertainment value. I’d say half of Disney productions already got there without needing AI, just shotgun writing. And lots of people are already bored of it all and now only look for the good stuff.

        • Riskable@programming.dev
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          11 months ago

          It’ll be a good while before an AI generates an Oscar-winning script or a whole movie but most movies and TV shows are very formulaic. Would it really be that surprising if AIs were generating the entertainment equivalent of Hannah Montana in a few years? Or the latest Hallmark Christmas special (LOL)?

          My guess is five years: That’s how long it’ll be before we start getting a flood of half-decent AI-generated shows/movies. Where the script is good but the animation/video are “a little off”.

          I mean, come on: There’s so many successful TV shows and movies that are total shit! You think AI can’t do better with just the tiniest bit of evolutionary improvements (and better hardware)?

          Edit: I expect AI videos to be a revolution! Where we finally break free from the Hollywood and “big mega” cookie cutter stories. It’ll give creative people the power to make the movies they want without heavy-handed censorship and executives that require everything dumbed down for the lowest common viewer.

  • Mubelotix@jlai.lu
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    11 months ago

    It’s not AI stealing the business from humans. It’s men stealing the business from women

  • AutoTL;DR@lemmings.worldB
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    11 months ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:


    She posts selfies from concerts and her bedroom, while tagging brands such as hair care line Olaplex and lingerie giant Victoria’s Secret.

    Aitana is a “virtual influencer” created using artificial intelligence tools, one of the hundreds of digital avatars that have broken into the growing $21 billion content creator economy.

    Their emergence has led to worry from human influencers their income is being cannibalized and under threat from digital rivals.

    That concern is shared by people in more established professions that their livelihoods are under threat from generative AI—technology that can spew out humanlike text, images and code in seconds.

    Over the past few years, there have been high-profile partnerships between luxury brands and virtual influencers, including Kim Kardashian’s make-up line KKW Beauty with Noonoouri, and Louis Vuitton with Ayayi.

    Instagram analysis of an H&M advert featuring virtual influencer Kuki found that it reached 11 times more people and resulted in a 91 percent decrease in cost per person remembering the advert, compared with a traditional ad.


    The original article contains 267 words, the summary contains 167 words. Saved 37%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!

  • Mandy@sh.itjust.works
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    11 months ago

    Damn, what a shame, those poor poor influencers

    maybe they need to get an actual job now?

    • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      So much of the job is face tuned and post-productioned anyway. And what are you even doing? Unboxing videos? Soy face in front of a sports car or a machine gun?

      The real job of the modern influencer isn’t sitting in front of a camera. It’s all the SEO and brown nosing and cross-posting to raise your brand profile.

      In a media economy where everything is online is it any wonder that an AI video in a feedback loop with a bunch of AI controlled bot “users” is going to max out on a platform that only knows how to reward these artificially manipulated metrics?

  • Handles@leminal.space
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    11 months ago

    Let’s define “stealing” and “business” here.

    1. Influencers don’t produce anything, nor do they add intrinsic value to products they promote. Not much business to that if you ask me.

    2. They do already compete fiercely for brands’ atention so every successful influencer by definition has “stolen” potential income from others.

    If you want to split hairs, influencers’ work is creating an idealised image that they project to peddle products. If AI can outmatch them in that regard, I see no problem with that.

  • TheCreamKnight@lemmy.today
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    11 months ago

    You guys being unsympathetic towards influencers are all idiots. I’m sorry, but check your privilege. Do you also criticize prostitutes for their line of work? Corporations stealing income from individuals is bad, period.

    • Darkenfolk@dormi.zone
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      11 months ago

      That is not even a equivalent comparison, the prostitute actually sells a “product/service”; her/his body. What does an influencer sell?

    • Pyr_Pressure@lemmy.ca
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      11 months ago

      Even as a job it’s highly overpaid. Hardly any “work” or “skill” involved yet makes millions in some cases.

      • NBJack@reddthat.com
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        10 months ago

        Rarely, TBH. Unless you’re OK with being an absolute ass in some form or another.

    • BargsimBoyz@lemmy.world
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      10 months ago

      Are you a boomer?

      Just because you don’t like or understand something doesn’t mean it’s not a job. I think it’s a bit ridiculous myself but at end of day it’s no different to being a celebrity for whatever reason and it’s still a job.

      • gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.works
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        10 months ago

        Nope: mid 30s, politically progressive, software engineer.

        I don’t like people who make a living off of simply “being famous” either - e.g. the kardashians.

        I understand exactly what an influencer is and does. I just don’t like what they do, because the vast majority of what successful influencers do is to aggressively perpetuate some of the worst aspects of social media, as well as rampant consumerism and unbounded capitalism in general.

  • Milk_Sheikh@lemm.ee
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    11 months ago

    In some ways, I’m very excited about the sociological and economic opportunities for change this kind of scenario brings. And far, farrr more horrified. I haven’t yet seen a meaningful or impactful use of AI yet, that doesn’t mainly further capitalists or state power over their own or other civilians.

    “AI development is dominated by capital, led by some of the world’s most powerful oligopolistic corporations… strengthening capital vis-à-vis labour, and elite sections of labour relative to others, and are hence likely to increase inequality along lines of class stratification that are also lines of gender and race.”

    The future is cyberpunk, and Gibson started that as a sci-fi horror show future to avoid. Congress knows that Meta/Zucc influenced the 2016 election via ML/AI targeted ands and did basically nothing.