What are we doing, folks? Like, as a species. The other day, I wrote about the first A.I.-powered feature film, Hell Grind, which elicited strong reactions from readers. While that’s entertainment-industry news worth reporting, I feel sick to my stomach writing about this next story. According to License Global, Jack and Sharon Osbourne say they’re partnering with Hyperreal to create an A.I.-powered Ozzy Osbourne, which Jack called “the digital DNA of Ozzy Osbourne, voice, image [and] movement.” Sigh.
Previously, Hyperreal created an A.I.-powered avatar of late Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee that interacted with guests at last year’s Los Angeles Comic-Con. For $15, attendees could talk with a holographic Stan Lee, who would respond in Lee’s voice. Hyperreal didn’t stop there. It’s also created avatars of Paul McCartney, the Notorious B.I.G., and Mike Tyson.
Jack and Sharon Osbourne on bringing Ozzy back with A.I.
“It’s kind of scary how it’s really very accurate,” Jack said. “He will exist digitally as himself for as long as we have computers. Technology has come such a long way to where it’s almost drag and drop. You could shoot a template for a commercial … literally prompt what you want digital Ozzy to do in that commercial and you just drop it in. It’s that simple now.”
“You can ask Ozzy anything, and he will answer you in his own voice — and the answers will be what Ozzy would have said,” Sharon added. “We’re going to take it all around the world. People can talk to him and he will talk back.”
Nope
I have one question: Why? The answer is money (and probably some deep psychological stuff I’m not equipped to comment on), but the line between A.I. and humanity is blurring so quickly that it’s impossible to keep up with the technology that’s depleting resources, driving up RAM prices, and promoting ghoulish behavior in some. I would love to talk to my late father. Still, I’m not about to feed his personality into a computer to recreate him using A.I.
We’ve seen this sort of thing in movies, television, and comic books. Still, now that the technology seems to be here, it’s terrifying. I can’t imagine talking to a holographic Lord of Darkness at some trade show or future incarnations of Ozzfest. I don’t want to see an A.I.-powered Ozzy mumbling and shuffling his way through an awkward conversation.
How much will they charge fans for this experience? Is there no bottom to this rabbit hole? Let us know what you think in the comments.
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