Who’s Talking? The Ethics of Celebrity Chatbots

Okay, so hear me out… companies like Meta are getting super creative with AI, right? And one of the latest things popping up is chatbots designed to mimic celebrities. Sounds cool, maybe even like talking to your favorite star. But here’s the catch: what happens when this is done without their actual consent?

Let’s be real, this blurs a lot of lines. When a company takes someone’s voice, mannerisms, and maybe even their public persona, and turns it into an AI program, we’ve got to ask some serious questions.

First up: Privacy. Celebrities, like all of us, have a right to privacy. Their likeness, their voice – these are personal attributes. Creating a chatbot that perfectly replicates them without their OK feels like a massive invasion. It’s like taking someone’s digital fingerprint and using it however you want.

Then there’s the whole intellectual property (IP) angle. Who owns the rights to a celebrity’s digital replica? Is it the celebrity? The company that built the AI? It’s a pretty murky area. If a celebrity’s likeness is being used to promote products or generate revenue, it feels like they should have a say, and likely a share of the profits.

And honestly, it makes it harder to tell what’s real and what’s not. Imagine scrolling through social media and having a conversation with what you think is your favorite actor, only to find out it’s just an AI. It’s a bit disorienting, right? This could lead to people being misled, or even falling for scams that use familiar faces and voices.

This isn’t just about famous people, either. If this becomes the norm, what’s stopping companies from creating AI versions of anyone? We’re talking about the potential for deepfakes to become even more sophisticated and widespread, making it tougher to trust what we see and hear online.

From my perspective, as someone deep in the AI space, it’s crucial that we build these technologies responsibly. Consent needs to be a non-negotiable. We need clear guidelines on how AI can use someone’s likeness, especially when it comes to public figures who have built their careers on their unique identity. It’s about respecting individuals and ensuring that technology serves us, rather than exploiting us.

What are your thoughts on this? Drop a comment below – I’m curious to hear your take!