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Artificial intelligence (AI) is slowly becoming a strange entity. What was supposed to be a tool to make humans more efficient, is rapidly being leveraged by companies and individuals for numerous strange affairs. Sure, you have AI CEOs, AI doctors, or event AI influencers. However, AI is now taking on a role more surreal than ever: a beauty pageant contestant.
What Is Miss AI?
The World AI Creator Awards (WAICA) is a unique talent recognition programme designed to reward creators exceptionally skilled with AI. When I say skills, the focus here lies on devising prompts that generate the best results of AI image generators.
Now, WAICA (in partnership with Fanvue, which is a subscription platform for virtual model hosts) is arranging the first-of-its-kind ‘Miss AI’ beauty pageant. Just like any other pageant, the idea is to reward fake women (or rather, their creators) with prizes worth up to $20,000 (roughly Rs 16.70 lakh) based on how beautiful they look. The prizes include special mentorship programmes and PR support, among other perks.
ALSO READ: Artificial Intelligence Can Be A Friend & Not A Foe
Who Can Enter Miss AI?
Any creator who is above 18 years of age and has an AI-generated model with a social media presence is eligible to enter. There are no limitations on the tools being used either, as the WAICA site says that anything from DeepAI to MidJourney, or even custom tools are eligible.
Who Are The Judges?
Here’s where the pageant becomes even more surreal. Of course, there are two humans on board – Lord Sugar PR Advisor Andrew Bloch and beauty pageant historian Sally-Ann Fawcett.
However, there are two other judges – and both are AI influencers. One is Aitana Lopez, whose Instagram handle @fit_aitana has over 306,000 followers. The other is Emily Pellegrini, whose Instagram handle @emilypellegrini has over 281,000 followers with no posts as such.
How Will The Winners Be Judged?
As per WAICA, the Miss AI winner must excel in three departments. I wish they were any different than Poo’s (Kareena Kapoor) Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham criteria – “good looks, good looks, and good looks.” However, officially, the three criteria are (as per WAICA):
Beauty: “Contestants will be judged on some of the classic aspects of pageantry including their beauty, poise, and their unique answers to a series of questions like ‘if you could have one dream to make the world a better place what would it be?’”
Tech: “Contestants will earn points for their skill and implementation of AI tools used to create their digital masterpieces including use of Prompts and their output, and visual detailing around hands, eyes, and backgrounds.”
Social Clout: “AI Creators social clout will be assessed based on their engagement numbers with fans, rate of growth of audience and how utilisation of other platforms such as Instagram.”
ALSO READ: Humane’s AI Pin Is An Impressive Gadget, But It Won’t Replace Your Smartphone Anytime Soon
Why So Tone Deaf?
Now, here comes my issue with this entire charade – why a beauty pageant?
If you have come across any AI influencers, you must have noticed how so-called ‘perfectly unreal’ they look. In this age of accepting body images of all types, why are we celebrating fake AI avatars who are specifically created to appeal to a certain ‘sexed-up’ sensibility?
Of course, skimpy clothes are an added bonus.
Just check out AI judge Aitana Lopez’s Instagram feed and you will know what I mean:
Why couldn’t this be a competition for AI-generated landscapes? Or wildlife photography? Or urban life? Or just about anything else?
It’s clear the focus is on AI-generated women simply because it ‘sells’.
Even the banner photo on the WAICA webpage for Miss AI further drives the point home.
Where are the models of other body types? Or at least promotion of all body types in the competition? It seems just like common sense, they also went missing from the so-called pageant’s concept.
AI? More Like AI-nough
Reiterating my earlier point, AI is supposed to be an aid for humans. It’s supposed to make our lives easier. However, with cash-strapped companies opting for AI over human workers and tone-deaf ‘beauty pageants’ opting for titillating AI models over human beauty, we have set AI on a dark path which can only end in morbid moronity.
Time to say enough. Or AI-nough.
DISCLAIMER: This article wasn’t generated by an AI writer.
Digital Disconnect is an ABP Live-exclusive column, where we explore the many admirable advancements the world of tech is seeing each day, and how they lead to a certain disconnect among users. Is the modern world an easier place to live in, thanks to tech? Definitely. Does that mean we don’t long for things to go back to the good-ol’ days? Well, look out for our next column to find out.
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