With an elegant mane of sleek black hair and subtle makeup, Zaein possesses the ability to sing, deliver the latest news, and even showcase luxury fashion items. But Zaein is no ordinary South Korean celebrity; she stands as one of the nation’s most active virtual avatars, brought to life through the marvels of deepfake technology.

In South Korea, the embrace of artificial intelligence (AI) has become pervasive, permeating various sectors, from news presentations featuring Deepfake anchors to the emergence of AI-driven pastors.

Zaein is the brainchild of Pulse9, a South Korean company specializing in AI. This innovative firm has already crafted numerous digital personas for some of the country’s largest conglomerates, including the retail giant Shinsegae. “We are committed to expanding the horizons of AI applications in human use,” remarked Park Ji-Eun, the CEO of Pulse9, in a conversation with AFP.

In a country known as the birthplace of K-pop, talent agencies were among the first to invest in the development of virtual avatars. Pulse9, however, aims to take the concept further by demonstrating that these virtual beings can coexist with humans as coworkers and friends. “Virtual humans possess the capability to perform many tasks that real individuals do,” Park stated, emphasizing the potential. Nonetheless, human involvement remains a critical component of the process, “until a truly robust AI is developed.”

The creation of Zaein’s visage relied on a technique called deep learning, mirroring the human brain’s learning process. The algorithm meticulously scanned the faces of K-pop stars from the past two decades. To construct Zaein’s character, a dozen individuals, each with distinct talents such as singing, dancing, or acting, were superimposed onto the deepfake framework. One of the actors, who spoke to AFP anonymously due to company policy, expressed their enthusiasm for the endeavor, stating, “I believe it can serve as valuable practice for those aspiring to become celebrities. That’s what drew me to it.” She further elaborated, “I’d love to experiment with playing roles as different genders or even as foreigners—opportunities that might not be attainable in real life, all while managing my voice effectively.”

By Impact Lab