Fans eager to talk to Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe now have that chance thanks to artificial intelligence.
At the recent SXSW festival, AI technology company Soul Machines debuted an AI-generated digital avatar called “Digital Marilyn,” allowing fans to interact with the late actress through a chatbot.
According to Soul Machine’s website, the company’s “revolutionary biological AI technology” promises “real-time personalized interactions.”
The site says, “Every interaction is unique. Digital Marilyn analyzes your preferences and tailors responses accordingly, fostering authentic connections that resonate with you on a personal level.” .
An AI-generated Marilyn Monroe chatbot recently debuted at SXSW. (Frank Povolny/20th Century Fox/Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images)
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Soul Machines partnered with Authentic Brand Groups, which manages Monroe’s image and likeness rights.
“Marilyn Monroe remains a timeless icon, inspiring generations with her talent, charisma and enduring legacy,” said Dana Carpenter, vice president of entertainment at Authentic. He said in a statement to Variety magazine. “We are excited to partner with Soul Machines, whose cutting-edge technology is perfect to bring Marilyn to life in the AI era. Marilyn Monroe cannot be replaced or duplicated, but the digital Marilyn , opens up exciting possibilities for multiple generations of fans. Engage with her in a whole new way and develop a deeper connection and appreciation for her timeless spirit and the mark she left on the world.”
Soul Machine and Authentic Brand Group did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.
Authentic Brand Group manages living celebrities such as Shaquille O’Neal and David Beckham, as well as deceased celebrities such as Elvis Presley.
Shaquille O’Neal and David Beckham both have contracts with Authentic Brand Group, the company that licenses Marilyn Monroe’s portrait. (Getty Images)
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It may come as a surprise to some that O’Neal and Beckham signed a deal with an AI company, but AI expert Marva Baylor says the move is logical.
“The reality is that we trust these brand agencies and hire them because these are not brand agencies that are hired to amplify brands in a positive, connected way. ” she explained.
“They’re not deepfake people. They’re not people selling crazy stuff.” [websites or] anything. These are business people, people whose values and ethics are listed on their website.
“They’re looking to go public, and they have big investors, not just technology but also creative talent.”[s] and the artist[s]. they want to do the right thing. For many of us, it just feels uncomfortable right now. ”
AI expert Marva Baylor said companies like Authentic Brand Group are not “deepfake people” but “want to do the right thing. For many of us, it feels uncomfortable at the moment.” There is only one.” (Getty Images)
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Despite the official partnership and everything being legal, some have expressed concerns about the possibilities that a “digital Marilyn” might represent.
“Digital resurrection through AI raises legal and ethical concerns. This assumes that everyone wants to come back, although not everyone wants to come back.” said Chris Ruby. states. Founder of Ruby Media Group He told FOX News Digital that he is the author of “The Ruby Files.”
“There is an expression called resting in peace. AI is essentially hijacking this concept by ensuring that no one will ever again be able to rest in peace. Everyone will live forever in a deepfake replica.” If so, who is resting and where is the peace? Will we be competing with machines or with the dead? How will that affect the next generation of the workforce? Has anyone ever stopped and thought, give or take? Advances in machine learning have brought the concept of digital immortality within reach. But is that a good thing? Machine learning monetization of the deceased is… Does this mean humans can never truly retire?”
Last year, Zelda Williams, daughter of the late Robin Williams, spoke out about using AI to recreate her father’s voice.
Last year, Zelda Williams spoke out about similar but unrelated AI technology that recreated the voice of her father, Robin Williams, without permission. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
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In an Instagram Story, the 34-year-old condemned the use of the technology, calling it “personally offensive.”
“I am not an impartial voice in SAG’s fight against AI,” she wrote, referring to the actors’ and writers’ strikes underway at the time. “I’ve seen people over the years wanting to train these models to create/recreate non-consensual actors like their fathers.”
“This is not a theoretical thing, but a very real thing. We have already heard stories about AI getting their own ‘voice’ to say whatever people want. Personally, I find it offensive, but its impact goes far beyond my own feelings. They deserve the opportunity to create characters of their own choice, provide comic voices, and devote human effort and time to the pursuit of performance,” she continued.
“These recreations are, at best, poor facsimiles of great people, and at worst, they are terrifying Frankenstein monsters that combine all the worst parts of this industry, not what this industry is supposed to represent. .”
Williams’ will reportedly included a provision restricting the use of her likeness for 25 years after her death. (Photo courtesy of Albert Chow/FilmMagic)
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According to the Guardian, Williams included a clause in her will restricting the use of her likeness for 25 years after her death.
“Fans want to feel digitally connected to their stars, and thanks to AI, it’s increasingly possible to bring back their favorite stars long after they’ve passed away. I cannot consent to its use,” Ruby said.
She continued: “AI has introduced new challenges when it comes to monetizing the deceased, an issue that was previously manageable as the barriers to entry to access the technology were significantly higher.”
“Living people have a hard time protecting their image from AI training, much less deceased ones. Can we protect and control our image from AI training?”
Chris Ruby, founder of Ruby Media Group, said that although fans want to connect with stars, deceased stars “cannot consent to the use” provided by AI. (Getty Images)
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Baylor pointed out that Williams’ case is different from Monroe’s because of the different way they operate their estates.
“Each of these arguments is different based on the legal contract, and most contracts have a lifespan of 25 to 50 years. In some cases, they haven’t thought about it, or they’re already thinking about it,’ and they really want and trust someone else to manage that brand experience for them,” she said. Ta.
Regarding existing stars like O’Neal and Beckham, Baylor said partnerships with authentic brands “are still around and how do these stars, who have such an affinity for technology and their fan bases, select these?” This is a great example of how we do it.” ”
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But Ruby emphasized that there are areas of confusion for other actors and artists.
“Recent media coverage has focused on the consent rights of deceased stars, but little attention has been paid to the consent rights of living stars. Most stars illegally train machine learning models. “They were using the work. They didn’t do that. They consented to the use, and they probably wouldn’t receive royalties for the use of the work without their consent,” she said.
