We all know AI is here and growing at an exponential rate, but it seems there's no end to companies willing to use new technology to exploit humans to make a quick buck - and that's just what's happening with actors.
Earlier in the year, we reported how voice actors were being exploited by companies wanting short snippets of their voice to recreate full dialogue with AI. But this horrendous practice has now moved to actors in general.
AI tech has advanced to the point where it can recreate human likeness in videos and so isn't just restricted to voice acting anymore. And this came to a head on the /r/actors subreddit, where user 'CreativityChick' posted a job listing asking for actors to licence their likeness for a grand total of $50.
"Wow, this is really bad," 'Cryptogirl007' says in response. "This will rob actors and models of future income. Definitely do not ever do this. My agent charges a minimum of $30,000 if a client wants to scan your measurements for fit. And this ad is even taking your image too? That’s worth at least $100,000+."
According to the thread, jobs like this seem to be popping up on prominent websites like Backstage, where actors look for work, and even major players like Facebook commercials are using AI to save a buck.
Newer actors are, of course, tempted to sell their services for a lower price like this to gain a foothold in the competitive industry, but it's ultimately self-defeating, and it drives prices down across the board in a race to the bottom of a gig economy.
The future of AI is a scary prospect. At the moment, it's unregulated worldwide, and it seems that the end is neigh for lots of jobs.
Cases like this have also highlighted how companies are willing to destroy whole industries just to save themselves a few dollars on the bottom line.
Explore new topics and discover content that's right for you!
AI