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According to reports from The New York Times and other outlets, Meta is actively seeking contributions from well-known celebrities to develop synthetic voices for upcoming artificial intelligence initiatives. The technology giant is supposedly offering hefty sums—potentially amounting to millions—to notable figures such as Awkwafina, Keegan-Michael Key, and Judi Dench, in exchange for the rights necessary to use their voices for the training of AI voice models. Meta aims to solidify these agreements ahead of its Connect 2024 event.
An interesting omission from this list is Scarlett Johansson, likely due in part to her recent disputes with OpenAI concerning whether one of its AI-generated voices was modeled after her likeness as portrayed in the film Her. While OpenAI claims that it was not intended as a replication of Johanssen’s voice, this controversy may complicate any negotiations with Meta.
This initiative by Meta comes on the heels of a previous push involving celebrity avatars within its AI chatbot framework. Initially available only through text interactions across platforms like Messenger and Instagram, these Celebrity AI chatbots included characters like Snoop Dogg’s Dungeonmaster and Paris Hilton’s detective persona. However, interest waned quickly; while those chatbots are still operational today, they no longer feature any celebrity branding.
The specific objectives behind integrating celebrity voices into Meta’s projects remain unclear, but it’s anticipated that they could enhance some form of interactive AI chatbot equipped with both vocal recognition and projected personality traits. However, securing these exclusive rights before Connect might prove challenging due to ongoing negotiations about usage terms. Reportedly, there is friction regarding how long and under what conditions these celebrities’ voices should be utilized by Meta—notably because while the company desires broad-ranging permissions, celebrities often seek tighter controls over their brand identities.
Celebrity-Tech Collaborations: A Double-Edged Sword
Meta isn’t isolated in its pursuits; tech giants like Google are also delving into creating conversational bots imitating prominent individuals alongside fictional characters. Google’s approach allows users greater flexibility by permitting them to tailor personalities and appearances for their own custom AI creations—an endeavor echoed by platforms such as Character.ai, which pioneered personalized bots inspired by both real-life figures and imaginary personas.
// This article provides an overview dynamic relating meta engagements linking Tinseltown towards Artificial Intelligence endeavors!You May Also Enjoy…
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