Hollywood celebrities are being sought after by Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, to provide voices for its artificial intelligence projects. Stars including Judi Dench, Awkwafina, and Keegan-Michael Key are reportedly being offered millions of dollars by Meta, according to those familiar with the negotiations. As the company works to close all agreements in time for its Connect 2024 event in September, when it intends to launch a suite of AI products, these discussions are taking place while Meta spokespeople choose not to comment.
It is unclear exactly what applications Meta plans to employ for the celebrity voices, although it did hint that it might be a chatbot designed to function more like a digital assistant, similar to Apple’s Siri, or even a companion. Users may converse with a chatbot that mimics Awkwafina’s voice, for instance. However, as Meta and the reps battle over terms, the conversations have gotten more rocky than anticipated, with frequent pauses. Actors’ reps are pressing for more restrictive restrictions, while Meta wants to obtain the rights to the voices for a single project and a certain duration.
The usage of artificial intelligence has caused great anxiety in the creative industry; many have expressed concern about losing their jobs. Actors and screenwriters demanded protection against AI use during last year’s labor stoppages. However, the people also claim that SAG-AFTRA, the main actors’ union, and Meta had come to an understanding over terms.
Celebrity-inspired text-based chatbots have been tested by Meta in the past; it has collaborated with Dwyane Wade and Paris Hilton, among others. Even though the initiative is no longer in operation, innovation has continued since Meta created an AI studio where content creators may create chatbots that look just like them.
The Meta firm is emphasizing the ongoing improvement of user connection through AI technology by attempting to incorporate celebrity voices into its projects. The potential for identifiable voices to transform digital help could set a new standard for the AI sector as the company navigates these difficult talks.
