Computer-made Humans Make A Splash As Celebrities

Her name is Lucy. She is a design researcher, a fashion model, and an aspiring television show host. She is an avid user of social media — her everyday life is captured, filtered, and shared on Instagram, where she has over 30 thousand followers. She also enjoys shopping, skateboarding, and searching for trendy touristy spots worth visiting. These all seem to fit a typical profile of a so-called ‘social media influencer’ in her twenties or early thirties, yet there is something about Lucy. She doesn’t age at all. She doesn’t need to eat. She exists, but only in the digital world. She is a “virtual human.”

Virtual human, also dubbed as CGI (computer-generated imagery) human, is a lifelike, computed character of a human being generated with digital technology. In the making of Lucy, Lotte Home Shopping conducted a thorough 3D look development on stereoscopic sculptures for the look of a realistic human figure. “By employing a hyper-realism modeling, which can even materialize the downy hair on the skin, we designed Lucy to be as human-like as possible,” said Yoo Min-hwa, a member of multimedia channel networks (MCN) team in Lotte Home Shopping, in an interview with the UIC Scribe. “3D look development is different from artificial intelligence (AI) based deepfake technology. It is more exquisite and much more detailed.”

Korea is facing a golden age of virtual humans like Lucy. Metahumans are rapidly taking over social media platforms and the advertisement industry, competing with their human counterparts as influencers and celebrities. Public interest in virtual influencers skyrocketed when insurance company Shinhan Life unveiled its commercial film with Rozy Oh in July. People were amazed to learn that this 22-year-old dancer was, in fact, an incorporeal figure composed of 3D computer images. The commercial film hit 9.7 million views in about 3 months, and an additional 15-second film recorded more than 11 million views in less than a month, proving Rozy’s powerful influence in the marketing industry. Sidus Studio X, a CGI/VFX (visual effects) studio that developed Rozy, had announced a six times increase in the number of Rozy’s Instagram followers after she ‘came out’ as a virtual human. Rozy is now modeling for multiple brands, including conglomerates such as Amore Pacific, Banyan Tree Hotel and Chevrolet. Other major companies are quickly catching up with the trend. In the 2021 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), LG Electronics unveiled “Reah Keem,” a virtual songwriter and DJ. Instead of using human resources, LG chose Reah to present its newest products to customers. Samsung Electronics is also preparing to commercialize its virtual human “NEON,” first introduced at CES last year. NEON will soon be working as a virtual clerk for Shinhan Bank. More companies are expected to develop virtual humans to use them as the face of the brand.

What is the reason behind all this hype? Experts pointed out that the transcendent flexibility of virtual humans, their quality of being able to do anything they want without limitations, could be a winning attribute. “In this pandemic era where everything is limited, the fact that virtual influencers can pliably do any kind of activities regardless of time and space makes them even more attractive to the public,” said Yoo. She added that the “flexibility” of virtual influencers is charming to companies, as metahumans can easily customize or expand their personal image to suit the client brands’ vision. Some remarked that using virtual influencers in advertisements is a ‘safe bet’ for companies. “Relying on KOL (key opinion leaders) such as celebrities or social media influencers has a definite risk — there could be controversies over their attitudes, past behaviors, and manners,” said Jane Huh, a UIC alumna marketer working in an IT company. “Virtual humans, on the other hand, are free from those concerns, as they are controllable — and they even cost less, as they have a low guarantee.”

While virtual influencers are receiving positive attention more than ever, some remain skeptical. An anonymous student in Underwood International College, Yonsei University, shared his thoughts on virtual celebrities. “One of the reasons why we love celebrities is due to their humane genuineness,” he said. “There is an emotional link between the celebrity and the fans, but it’s hard to imagine the same thing for virtual celebrities, no matter how attractive or realistic they are.” Another student showed concerns about how virtual influencers could take business away from humans. “I guess CGI influencers could be a possible threat, especially to entertainment agencies or (human) influencers who need to compete with virtual ones to win orders for advertisement,” she said. Byunggun Jung, the executive officer of Sidus Studio X, has a different point of view. In an interview with CNBC in October, he noted, “humans still remain human,” emphasizing that many people would feel more comfortable communicating with real humans and that virtual influencers are mostly targeting the younger generation.

As the line between reality and virtual space blurs, virtual influencers are expected to expand their territories, and even more, to actively communicate with a wider audience. Companies are developing virtual worlds (also known as metaverse) in which virtual humans can freely create new values and lifestyles. The famous Greek philosopher Heraclitus once said change is the only constant. The same applies to virtual humans. They will continue to change, and they will shape the future of our society as well.