Lifestyle
Fake beauty queens charm judges at the Miss AI pageant
Beauty pageant contestants have always been judged by their looks, and, in recent decades, by their do-gooderly deeds and winning personalities.
Still, one thing that’s remained consistent throughout beauty pageant history is that you had to be a human to enter.
But now that’s changing.
Models created using generative artificial intelligence (AI) are competing in the inaugural “Miss AI” pageant this month.
The contestants have no physical, real-world presence. They exist only on social media, primarily Instagram, in the form of photorealistic images of extremely beautiful, sexy young women — all of it created using a combination of off-the-shelf and proprietary AI technology.
Some of the characters can also be seen talking and moving in videos. And they share their “thoughts” and news about their “lives” mostly through accompanying text on social media posts.
In one video, Kenza Layli, created by a team from Morocco, speaks in Arabic about how happy she is to have been selected as one of finalists for Miss AI.
“I am proud to receive this nomination after only existing for five months, especially since this invention is Arab and Moroccan 100%,” the AI model said.
In another, the Brazilian entry, Ailya Lou, lip-synchs and bops around to a song in her pajamas.
Even though these beauty queens are not real women, there is a real cash prize of $5,000 for the winner. The company behind the event, the U.K.-based online creator platform FanVue, is also offering public relations and mentorship perks to the top-placed entry as well as to two runners-up.
According to a statement from the organizer, a panel of four judges selected 10 finalists from 1,500 submissions. This is the first of a series of contests for AI content creators that FanVue is launching under the “The FanVue World AI Creator Awards” umbrella. The results for Miss AI will be announced at the end of June.
“What the awards have done is uncover creators none of us were aware of,” said FanVue co-founder Will Monange in the statement. “And that’s the beauty of the AI creator space: It’s enabling creative people to enter the creator economy with their AI-generated creations without having to be the face themselves.”
New technology, old format
The organizers of Miss AI are touting it as the first such competition involving AI. Beauty pageants already exist elsewhere in the digital realm, for example on the online platform Second Life.
But in the real world, beauty pageants are fading. They are no longer the giant cultural draw they once were, attracting tens of millions of TV viewers during their peak in the 1970s and ’80s.
The events are controversial, because there’s a long history of them feeding into harmful stereotypes of women.
Indeed, all 10 Miss AI finalists fit in with traditional beauty queen tropes: They all look young, buxom and thin.
The controversial nature of pageants, coupled with the application of cutting-edge AI technology, is proving to be catnip for the media and the public. Simply put, sexy images of fake women are an easy way to connect with fans.
“With this technology, we’re very much in the early stages, where I think this is the perfect type of content that’s highly engaging and super low hanging fruit to go after, said Eric Dahan, CEO of the social media marketing company Mighty Joy.
In an interview with NPR, beauty pageant historian and Miss AI judge Sally-Ann Fawcett said she hopes to be able to change these stereotypes “from the inside” by focusing her judging efforts on the messaging around these AI beauty queens — and not just on their looks.
“Because they are all beautiful, I want somebody that I would be proud to say is an AI ambassador and role model giving out brilliant and inspiring messages, rather than just saying, ‘hello, I’m really hot!’ ” said Fawcett.
Like real life pageants, the Miss AI contestants’ social media feeds talk about the good causes the character supports. For example, the French avatar Anne Kerdi is a brand ambassador for the ocean conservation fund Océanopolis Acts, and Romania’s Aiyana Rainbow is described as an LGBTQ advocate.
Miss AI finalist, the AI model Anne Kerdi.
Anne Kerdi
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Anne Kerdi
But Fawcett said she wishes there was more variety in the submissions for this contest.
“I would like to see somebody of a different gender, somebody larger, somebody older, somebody with flaws,” Fawcett said. “There’s such a big scope. But I think because it’s the first year, everyone’s adhering to that typical stereotype of beauty.”
Artist and filmmaker Lynn Hershman Leeson, whose work explores the intersection of technology and feminism, said she is baffled by the degree to which the AI creators for this contest stuck to traditional beauty pageantry tropes.
“The AI world has such a range of possibilities to consider for attractiveness,” Hershman Leeson said in an interview with NPR. “And they’ve chosen to just look for some kind of surface resemblance to what’s always been considered a winner in this kind of competition. It doesn’t go beyond the stereotype of the stereotype.”
A digital marketing opportunity disguised as a beauty pageant
The Miss AI contestants aren’t just being judged according to their looks and messaging. There are two more unconventional criteria in play not traditionally found in beauty pageant judging: the skill with which the AI creators employ AI technology to make their models look hyperreal, and how deeply and quickly these avatars are engaging audiences on their social media feeds.
Creating a photorealistic human is no easy feat. And, maybe more importantly, Miss AI isn’t a beauty contest at heart. It’s really about showcasing AI as a marketing tool — specifically in the realm of AI influencers.
Most social media influencers are human beings. The influencer market is worth more than $16 billion, according to one estimate, and is growing fast. According to a recent Allied Market Research report, the global influencer marketplace is expected to reach $200 billion by 2032.
AI influencers like the Miss AI finalists are starting to gain traction within this realm — especially if they can look and act like humans.
One of the world’s most successful AI influencers, Aitana Lopez, earns her creators — who are part of the Miss AI judging panel — several thousand dollars a month in income from brand partnerships.
That’s a small amount compared with the millions top human influencers, like Kylie Jenner and Charli D’Amelio, currently make in cosmetics, fashion and other deals. But it may not be too long before AI influencers start to catch up.
Miss AI finalist Seren Ay.
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Mohammad Talha Saray, a member of the team in Ankara, Turkey, that created one of the Miss AI finalists — the red-haired, green-eyed Seren Ay, said they came up with the AI model five or six months ago as a brand ambassador for their jewelry e-commerce company because human influencers they approached cost too much money and were too demanding. Saray said his AI avatar is cheaper, more flexible and doesn’t talk back.
“With the AI, there’s no limit,” Saray told NPR. “You can just do whatever you want. Like, if you want to just do something on the moon or on the sun, whatever you want, you can just do it — all with your imagination.”
Saray said his jewelry business has grown tenfold since Seren Ay came on board. Her social media videos garner millions of views.
“Our goal for Seren Ay is to position her as a globally recognized and beloved digital influencer,” said Saray. “Winning the Miss AI competition will be a significant step toward achieving these goals, allowing us to reach a wider audience and seize more collaboration opportunities.”
He said AI influencers do not have the ability to move people as much as their human counterparts can.
“People are always going to know that it’s an artificial intelligence,” Saray said.
Yet he said he’s constantly astonished by the number of people commenting on Seren Ay’s posts on Instagram who seem to mistake the AI character for a real human being.
“People say they have feelings for Seren AI,” said Saray. “They’re congratulating her. They’re saying they hope she wins the prize.”
Prince on the custom motorcycle featured in Purple Rain.
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Wendy Melvoin, guitarist for Prince’s genre bending band The Revolution, remembers one of their most iconic songs started with an idea — and a challenge — from the boss himself.
Prince broached the topic during a band rehearsal. “He came to the table with this beautiful idea … most of the songs [on the album] had already been done,” says Melvoin, “He said ‘I have this idea and sounds a little like this…whattaya you guys got?’”
What Wendy had was an idea for a mournful cascade of guitar chords that proved the perfect starting point.
“I came up with that intro and that chord progression to get us into the song,” she adds. “And it ended up being one of the most iconic intros to a pop ballad ever.”
The song Purple Rain would become the surprising, anthemic climax for a film of the same name that emerged as one of the most successful and influential musical films in history. The movie hit theaters 40 years ago, breaking barriers in the music world while signaling the ascendancy of Prince as a pop music superstar.
Putting Purple Rain on the silver screen
Filmed around the band’s Minneapolis hometown, Purple Rain had a simple story. Prince’s character — known only as The Kid – is rocked by his dad constantly beating his mother at home, struggling to connect with his bandmembers and a new romantic interest, a beautiful singer named Apollonia.
Drummer Bobby Rivkin, known onstage as Bobby Z, says the idea of showcasing Prince’s songs and The Revolution in a film was inspired by the success of MTV and its focus on music videos.
“Prince was always someone who took a step bigger than the cultural [stuff] that was happening at the times,” he adds. “Once MTV started playing his videos, I think he just gravitated to something bigger and said ‘I’ll just take it to the next level.’’”
Melvoin says she and The Revolution — including Rivkin, keyboardists Lisa Coleman and Matt Fink and bassist Brown Mark — found out they would be working on a movie when Prince announced it in a matter-of-fact way at a rehearsal. But she wasn’t worried about whether she could act or how the band would look onscreen.
“I guess if I had any concern back then, it was just literally, ‘was the story going to be any good?’” she says, laughing. “I didn’t have any doubt the music sequences would be fantastic. But I didn’t have a good sense of whether the narrative of the film was going to work.”
Turns out, it all worked pretty well. Purple Rain was a hit, with the film and its soundtrack earning an Oscar, two Grammy awards and status as a groundbreaking musical film.
It also introduced a film audience to Prince’s scorching performance style, his unerring ability to craft hit tunes, and his distinctive fashion sense. Prince’s network of bands and performers also got some attention – including the girl-fronted group Apollonia 6 and the funk band The Time.
The Time lead singer Morris Day and his onstage foil Jerome Benton became the film’s comic center, with the two riffing on a version of Abbott and Costello’s classic routine “Who’s on First?”.
“Honestly, we weren’t trying to be funny … we always clowned around at the time because we were young,” Day says, responding to questions via email. He noted, even though the cast took acting and dance classes in preparation for filming, “we were just being ourselves. If anything, I was more conscious of being cool than funny.”
Morris Day of The Time performs in Chicago in 1983, before Purple Rain came out.
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Raymond Boyd/Getty Images
He’s not surprised people are still talking about the film four decades after its initial release.
“The film was groundbreaking on so many levels … it was the first of its kind,” adds Day, who says he’s only watched the film in its entirety one time, at its Hollywood premiere on July 26, 1984. “It somehow reminds people of a special period in their lives during the ‘80s, which is a period we all at times wish we could reclaim.”
Building the drama in Purple Rain
Fans know the film tells a more combative story behind the genesis of the song Purple Rain.
Onscreen, Melvoin and her then-girlfriend, keyboardist Lisa Coleman write the song, fighting a reluctant Prince – known only as The Kid in the movie – to let The Revolution play it onstage.
“Everytime we give you a song, you say you’re going to use it, but you never do,” Melvoin shouts at Prince during the scene, delivering some of the best acting from the musicians who mostly fill out the cast. “You think we’re doing something behind your back…you’re just being paranoid as usual.”
When Prince finally agrees to play Purple Rain onstage at the Minneapolis club First Avenue – launching into an emotional rendition topped by one of the best guitar solos in pop music – he wows the crowd and saves the band. But Melvoin says now that the friction they acted out was “movie magic” conjured to build a story; in real life, she, Lisa and Prince were very close collaborators.
Prince, alongside Wendy Melvoin (left) and Lisa Coleman (right) accepts Purple Rain‘s Oscar for best original score in 1985.
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HARMS/AFP via Getty
Powered by hits like the title track and the percolating dance jam I Would Die 4 U, Purple Rain burst like a lavender-tinged explosion across the pop culture landscape – launching Prince’s growing fame into the stratosphere.
The innovative dance hit When Doves Cry, recorded by Prince with no bass guitar, became his first Number One single on Billboard’s Hot 100 singles list. That was followed by his second Number One single, the rock and soul classic Let’s Go Crazy, which showcased his guitar skills at a time when rock guitar wasn’t heard often on R&B records.
Giving fans a peek behind the mystique
Prince had developed a mystique by rarely talking to the press. So, in the days before YouTube and Tik Tok, Purple Rain offered a sustained – if fictionalized – look at the inner workings of the band and his origin story for fans eager to know more.
And it centered a group of performers who were a mix of identities and ethnicities in the Midwest, making music that crossed all kinds of cultural barriers, at a time when people like that were rarely seen on the silver screen.
“That film was Prince’s version of social media,” Melvoin says. “This is funk rock and nobody’s seen a movie based on this kind of life. It [was] a trip for people to see.”
But there were also criticisms. Many of the film’s performers were amateurs, which showed in their performances. And female characters were often treated badly on screen: in one scene, Jerome Benton gets rid of a hostile woman confronting Day by tossing her into a dumpster.
“Given today’s culture, I’m certain there are moments in the film that ruffle a few feathers,” Day says. “Overall, I would like to think we did something great. And based on the overwhelming majority [of public reaction], I believe we did.”
The film ultimately proved the perfect showcase for Prince’s expansive creativity – from his ruffled shirts and big shouldered clothes to his mix of religion and sexuality in lyrics, innovative ways of recording and his seemingly endless supply of high-quality songs.
Bobby Rivkin, otherwise known as Bobby Z, during a recording session in 1989.
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Jim Steinfeldt/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
“MTV opened the door a little bit — just a teeny crack of light — and he would kick it open,” Rivkin adds. “He was innovative in fashion and culture. And it was a remarkable time for him. From humble beginnings to control [of] black culture, crossover culture … rock, funk, pop … He was on fire for quite a while.”
Continuing on without the boss
A couple of years and albums later, Prince disbanded The Revolution. But the group has reunited a few times – notably for a benefit concert after Rivkin had his first heart attack in 2010 – and after Prince died in 2016, at age 57 from an accidental fentanyl overdose. More recently, the group came together last month to perform during a five-day event in Minneapolis celebrating Purple Rain’s 40th anniversary.
Both Melvoin and Rivkin say they hope The Revolution can play more shows commemorating Purple Rain’s anniversary over the next year. But they also admit it can be challenging performing without their dynamic leader and frontman, even as playing together helps them process the loss.
“After he passed, it’s the only thing that we could think of to do — to be together and grieve,” Melvoin says.
And what would The Kid himself think about the legacy of his blockbuster film and album? Day says he’s not sure.
“[Prince] never liked staying in the past,” the singer adds. “He was always evolving. Once Purple Rain was done, he was on to the next. But now that I’m thinking about it, he might have thrown a big celebration at Paisley Park for the fans. Probably would have been one hell of a jam session.”
TMZ.com
Josh Flagg says Ben Affleck might actually be putting down roots in Brentwood as opposed to it being a pit stop … telling us he’s heard the guy might be quietly buying a pad there.
We got the ‘Million Dollar Listing’ star at the Plaza Hotel in New York City — and our photog asked him about Ben and Jennifer Lopez publicly listing their Beverly Hills mansion for $68 million … and what the implications for that might be big picture.
Remember … Ben and Jen only just bought the place in 2023, and Josh says the quick flip here makes it look like they are getting divorced … something we’ve been reporting is going to happen for a while now.
We broke the story … Ben and J Lo were quietly trying to sell the estate off-market — but it clearly didn’t work out, and now they’ve going public with the house sale.
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As you know … Ben’s been staying in a Brentwood rental since moving out of the marital Bev Hills mansion, and J Lo’s been spending a lot of time on her own too … first in Europe, and then more recently in New York to celebrate her birthday week.
TMZ Studios
But, get this … Josh says he recently heard Ben was quietly in escrow on something in Brentwood … so BA may not be renting anymore after all — at least that’s what JF’s floating.
As for the Bev Hills mansion — which Ben and Jen paid over $60 million for — Josh explains why Bennifer might not be taking a huge financial hit … although, they definitely ain’t gonna be turning a profit either.
Interesting stuff all around … especially that tidbit about Ben, if it turns out to be right.
Kathleen Hanna of The Julie Ruin performs onstage at the 2016 Panorama NYC Festival – Day 2 at Randall’s Island on July 23, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images)
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Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images/Getty Images North America
This week’s show was recorded in Chicago with host Peter Sagal, judge and scorekeeper Bill Kurtis, Not My Job guest Kathleen Hanna and panelists Meredith Scardino, Peter Grosz, and Mo Rocca Click the audio link above to hear the whole show.
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The Olympic Torch Reporch
Our Summer Olympics Preview
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Not My Job: We quiz Bikini Kill’s Kathleen Hanna on Hanna-Barbera
Punk icon Kathleen Hanna plays our game called, “Kathleen Hanna Meet Hannah-Barbera.” Three questions about the animation studio.
Panel Questions
Hide Your Receipts; VR Meets ER; Avocado Apologies
Limericks
Bill Kurtis reads three news-related limericks: Situation Room Cocktails; Burrito Bird; Hopped Up Sharks
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All the news we couldn’t fit anywhere else
Predictions
Our panelists predict what will be the big story out of the Paris Olympic Games
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