It’s like a scene out of the movies, made for the movies, but made by an AI. A celebrity selling their AI-likeness, especially to advertisers, to be used in promotional campaigns and endorsements isn’t some distant idea, but happening here and now, as both advertisers and film studios look to co-opt the technology.

Generative AI is one of the core issues at the ongoing Hollywood strike with members of the actors' union SAG-AFTRA saying that studios propose to pay background actors for a day so that tech companies can scan them to create digital likenesses, even as major actors are reportedly in talks with AI companies to create and protect their digital avatars.

And Hollywood is not a silo, as generative AI continues its inevitable spread across borders, markets, and industries. Just look at the Cadbury ad featuring Shah Rukh Khan, with an accompanying AI ad generator.

Sanjeev Jasani, COO, Cheil India, says the implications of AI technology in generating celebrity footage raise concerns about the authenticity and transparency of brand and endorsement deals.

“It's essential to establish clear guidelines and consent mechanisms to ensure ethical usage and prevent misinformation. Brands and celebrities must be vigilant about the potential misuse of generative AI, such as unauthorized endorsements or false representation,” he says, adding that they should prioritize safeguarding their image rights and employ technology to detect and address any unauthorized content promptly.”

John Paite, Chief Creative Officer (Art&Tech), India at Media.Monks, says the key is that it needs the consent of the celebrity. Media.Monks’ Noida campus is home to The Volume, a virtual studio that utilizes the same visual tech used in Marvel movies and Star Wars shows, and the 8,000-square foot studio has already been the scene of ad films and ambitious movie scenes. Visually rendered talent seems to be the next obvious step.

“If you think about it, we have been using visual effects to replicate and create digital humans for 15 years or more; this is the same thing from the standpoint of consent and celebrity deals. AI technology can do that faster, with more accessibility to public platforms, but in the end it needs to have the consent of the celebrity themselves and the brand has to operate under an ethical umbrella,” says Paite.

Mitesh Kothari, Co-founder and Chief Creative Officer, White Rivers Media, is enthusiastic about the future prospects. “The future is here, and it's exciting. The AI craze is reaching new heights and it's fascinating to see how celebrities are embracing it. As marketers, we can't help but acknowledge the potential of this trend and the unique opportunities it brings for both stars and brands.”

With celebrities teaming up with brands to introduce AI-created duplicates of themselves in marketing campaigns, it's a game-changer, he says, elaborating, “Instead of physically showing up for every single shoot, celebrities can spend just a few minutes in a studio, and voila! As for brands, it opens up a whole new world of possibilities. Imagine being able to make celebrities appear younger to appeal to your target audience or having them perform superhuman feats that would be physically impossible.”

The global Generative AI market was valued at $10.5 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach $191.8 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 34.1% from 2023 to 2032.

However, Samir Asher, Co-founder & COO, Tonic Worldwide, says that given the rising prevalence of AI technology in generating celebrity footage, it's essential to consider both legal and ethical implications alongside potential impacts on trust and authenticity.

“As someone who believes in preserving rights over personal likenesses, celebrities should maintain control over their AI-generated images, even posthumously, necessitating the establishment of strict legal measures for protection,” he says, adding. “The potential damage to trust in visual media due to indistinguishable real and AI-generated content is a significant concern, requiring clear indications and regulations whenever synthetic media is used.”

Sushmita Sinha, Associate Director - Key Accounts, TheSmallBigIdea, believes that the potential usage of AI technology in generating celebrity footage and visuals presents both positive opportunities and challenges. “Media literacy becomes essential to discern reality from AI creations, and a delicate balance between creativity and ethics is vital for responsible AI usage in the media and advertising industries.”

Raghav Bagai, Co-founder of SW AI Studios, a part of Sociowash Network adds that AI has the potential to generate realistic celebrity footage and visuals at scale and low cost. “This could be useful for brands to create more advertising content featuring celebrities. We have all seen viral videos of multiple celebrities such as Barbie, or other popular characters etc.”

A. Aziz Khan, Co-Founder & CRO of RVCJ Digital Media, says that to mitigate the risks stricter regulations and guidelines may be required to govern the use of AI-generated content, ensuring transparency, accountability, and protection for all involved parties. By proactively addressing these pitfalls, brands, and celebrities can harness the power of generative AI responsibly and preserve the authenticity and integrity of their collaborations.

“One of our recommendations for brands is to work with trusted studios that have or are capable of developing their own Machine Learning models that are trained by their own content and data. This is partly because we think Brand AI will become the new experience architecture but it is also because the model is bespoke to the brand and can be better adapted to their policies on privacy and ethics,” added Paite.