His face, designed using artificial intelligence, is a “deepfake”. But this presenter who appears on South Korean television turns out to be larger than life.
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Here is Zaein, one of the most active virtual avatars in South Korea, produced by the company Pulse9 using “deepfake”, this digital technology which allows the creation of hyper-realistic simulations of people.
Specializing in artificial intelligence, this South Korean company has already created several digital personas for some of the country’s largest conglomerates, including retail giant Shinsegae.
But Pulse9 assures us: the story of artificial intelligence is only just beginning. In 2030, according to several studies, the global market for avatars designed using AI could exceed $527 billion (€481 billion).
In the land of K-pop, Korean star agencies were the first to invest in the development of virtual avatars, more economically interesting and more “docile” than humans.
However, Pulse9 is now working on developing this technology to “expand the use of AI by humans,” assures its CEO Park Ji-eun.
“Virtual humans are capable of doing most of the things that real people do,” she explains.
Thus this South Korean company wishes to show that “these virtual humans are not only imaginary idols, but that they can coexist with humans as colleagues or friends,” according to Ms. Park.
Human actors
Zaein’s face was designed using an artificial intelligence method called deep learning, which allows the machine to notice fine subtleties in the data. It thus scrutinized the faces of K-pop stars of the last twenty years.
Around ten human beings, each with different talents (singing, dancing, theater, etc.), participate in building the character of Zaein by superimposing themselves with deepfake. According to Ms. Park, this is what makes her so “special.”
On Monday, AFP met one of these actresses, who was preparing to present the newspaper in the guise of Zaein on the South Korean channel SBS.
“It can be good training for people who want to become celebrities, and that’s what attracted me,” she explains, although she admits to being “way past” the age to become a star of K-pop.
“I would like to try playing a man if I can manage my voice well, and maybe a foreigner, something I could never do in real life,” adds the actress.
“True from falsehood”
For now, the creation of digital characters cannot yet do without real humans. “Until a truly strong AI is created,” Ms. Park warns.
While the emergence of ChatGPT last year raised awareness about the potential of AI and its abuses, so much so that some countries are now seeking to regulate this artificial intelligence chat, Ms. Park is not very worried.
His company is even working on new idols, virtual influencers and digital sales agents responsible for connecting with customers for South Korean conglomerates, which struggle to recruit in the country where the birth rate is low.
However, she believes that AI deserves to be better regulated, adding that when the framework is clear, the technology adds “to the richness of life”.
Problem, points out Kim Myouhng-joo, professor at a university in Seoul, Seoul Women’s University, “deepfake” (hyper-faking) makes it “impossible to distinguish true from false.”
“It is a very dangerous tool when used to harm others or to put people in difficulty. “That’s why it’s becoming a problem,” he added.