Human or AI? The future of beauty standards
TLDRThe transcript discusses the rise of AI-generated humans and the challenges it poses to beauty standards, diversity, and representation. It highlights the creation of AI influencers like Aitana and Shudu, and the controversy surrounding their development. The conversation touches on the impact of AI on the fashion and modeling industries, the potential for increased diversity in AI-generated images, and the need for regulation to ensure authentic representation and avoid perpetuating harmful stereotypes.
Takeaways
- 🤖 AI-generated humans are becoming increasingly realistic, blurring the line between virtual and reality.
- 🌐 The technology raises critical questions about representation, diversity, and inclusion in the media and advertising landscapes.
- 🏆 AI influencers like Aitana Lopez on Instagram demonstrate the commercial viability and following of AI personalities.
- 💡 The creation of AI models and personalities can lead to a narrow and unrealistic standard of beauty, affecting self-perception and diversity.
- 🎨 Victoria Jenkins from Unhidden emphasizes the need for diversity in fashion and the challenges AI poses to traditional industry norms.
- 👁️ People are becoming less trusting of their own perceptions as AI images become more prevalent in media.
- 🌍 AI-generated models are used in various sectors, including fashion and marketing, and are widely present on social media.
- 💸 The economic aspect of AI models is highlighted, with some posts costing significantly less than those of real models.
- 🖌️ Cameron James Wilson, creator of Shudu, faces criticism but also explores ways to make AI models more inclusive and representative.
- 👥 The script discusses the potential of AI to create more diverse representations, such as the virtual influencer Kami, who has Down syndrome.
- 🔄 The conversation around AI in the modelling industry revolves around the balance between innovation and ethical considerations.
Q & A
What is the main concern regarding AI-generated humans in terms of beauty standards?
-The main concern is the potential for AI-generated humans to narrow beauty expectations and perpetuate a lack of diversity and inclusion, as these technologies often reflect and reinforce existing biases rather than challenging them.
How are AI-generated images being used in various industries?
-AI-generated images are being used in fashion, marketing, and social media, creating a new type of influencer that can post content and attract followers, sometimes even outperforming human influencers in terms of engagement.
What was the public's reaction to the creation of Shudu, the world's first digital supermodel?
-The creation of Shudu was met with criticism, with some accusing the creator of digital blackface and a form of racism, as well as concerns about the representation and profiting off the aesthetic of a black woman by a white creator.
How does Victoria Jenkins view the impact of AI-generated models on the fashion industry?
-Victoria Jenkins, founder of Unhidden, believes that the fashion industry has always struggled with diversity and that AI-generated models could potentially halt the progress that has been made in recent years, as they may not meaningfully contribute to inclusion and can perpetuate unrealistic beauty standards.
What steps has Cameron James Wilson taken to address the criticisms of his creation, Shudu?
-Cameron has brought on board a writer, Arma Badu, to help create Shudu's personality and captions, and works with real-life models who are paid and credited, ensuring that everyone involved is represented and contributing to the project.
How does the AI influencer Aitana Lopez's team create her posts and interactions?
-Aitana's team uses a pink phone that contains all the photographs of her life, which is used to generate her posts and responses on social media, creating the illusion of a real person interacting with her followers.
What is the significance of the virtual influencer Kami, created in collaboration with Down Syndrome International?
-Kami is significant because she represents an effort to introduce more diversity into the AI-generated world, as she was created using the features and input from over 100 different women with Down syndrome, challenging the lack of representation for individuals with the condition.
What is the potential danger of AI-generated beauty standards compared to real influencers, according to the creator of Shudu?
-The creator argues that real influencers can be more dangerous because their images are often heavily edited and filtered, creating an unachievable standard of beauty, whereas AI-generated models like Shudu are transparent about their artificial nature and do not encourage imitation.
How do people react when they encounter AI-generated images in public spaces?
-People often struggle to differentiate between real and AI-generated images, leading to a decrease in trust in their own perceptions and an uncertainty about the authenticity of what they see.
What is the core issue regarding AI-generated beauty standards?
-The core issue is the selection and reinforcement of certain beauty standards by AI, which may not be determined by the AI itself but by the humans interacting with it, potentially leading to a self-fulfilling projection of beauty that excludes diverse representations.
What responsibility do tech companies have in ensuring diversity in AI-generated content?
-Tech companies have a responsibility to monitor and regulate the diversity of AI-generated content to prevent the reinforcement of biases and stereotypes, and to promote a more inclusive and representative depiction of beauty across different cultures and communities.
Outlines
🤖 The Emergence of AI-Generated People and Their Impact on Society
This paragraph discusses the increasing realism of AI-generated individuals and their integration into various sectors such as fashion and social media, raising concerns about representation, diversity, and the authenticity of beauty standards. The introduction of AI models like Aitana and Shudu sparks debates about the ethical implications of creating digital personas and the potential for these technologies to replace human jobs and influence perceptions of beauty. The conversation also touches on the commercial aspects of AI-generated images and the importance of diverse representation in the industry.
🌐 Public Perception and the Future of AI in Modeling
The second paragraph delves into the public's reaction to AI-generated models and the potential halt in progress towards meaningful inclusion and diversity within the industry. It highlights the challenges of regulating AI in the modeling world and the need for transparency about the nature of AI-generated images. The narrative follows a journey to London to gauge people's awareness and opinions on AI models, revealing a general discomfort with the increasing prevalence of AI images and concerns about who controls this technology. The paragraph also explores the controversy surrounding the creation of the first digital supermodel, Shudu, by artist Cameron James Wilson, and the subsequent efforts to address diversity and authenticity in AI-generated content.
💡 AI's Role in Redefining the Modeling Industry and Diversity
The final paragraph focuses on the potential of AI to revolutionize the modeling industry and the broader implications for human experience. It questions whether AI will dominate the modeling industry and how it currently reflects real-world biases rather than challenging them. The discussion includes an interaction with Aitana, an AI influencer, and the exploration of whether AI can provide a more positive representation of femininity. The paragraph concludes with considerations on the tech industry's responsibility to address diversity issues and the possibility of achieving true diversity through algorithmic adjustments.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡AI-generated models
💡Representation
💡Diversity
💡Inclusion
💡Beauty standards
💡Fake reality
💡AI influencer
💡Digital supermodel
💡Authenticity
💡Regulation
💡Community involvement
Highlights
AI-generated humans are becoming increasingly indistinguishable from real ones, raising questions about representation and diversity.
The technology behind creating AI models offers limitless possibilities but also fundamental challenges.
AI influencer Aitana Lopez has over a quarter of a million followers on Instagram, showcasing the technology's impact on social media.
The cost of AI models for posts ranges from €100 to €300, compared to €1 million for a real person like Kim Kardashian.
There are concerns about the narrowing of beauty expectations due to the difficulty in creating diverse AI models.
Victoria Jenkins, founder of Unhidden, works to improve diversity within the fashion industry, which has historically struggled with representation.
The male gaze may be influencing the creation of AI models, as they often reflect a hyper-sexualized and narrow view of beauty.
The lack of diverse body representation in AI models can lead to people feeling the need to conform to unrealistic beauty standards.
AI models like Shudu are more diverse than the creators profiting from them, raising questions about authenticity and representation.
Cameron James Wilson, creator of Shudu, sees himself as a pioneer in the field of AI models and has faced criticism for his work.
Shudu's creator has taken steps to ensure she gives back to her community and is transparent about her digital nature.
Kami, an AI influencer with Down Syndrome features, was created in collaboration with Down Syndrome International to address diversity issues.
The traditional modelling industry has a history of biases, and AI has the potential to either challenge or perpetuate these stereotypes.
AI models like Kami are designed to be more authentic than real influencers, who often present a filtered and edited version of reality.
The future of fashion and beauty standards may be heavily influenced by AI, but the technology's role in promoting diversity needs to be carefully monitored.
Tech companies are currently addressing the issues of diversity and representation in AI, but the question remains whether true diversity can be achieved through an algorithm tweak.
The rapid advancement of AI technology and its integration into various industries signals a fast-approaching future where the lines between reality and AI become increasingly blurred.