June 22, 2024

Will.i.am Showcases AI-Generated Host At Cannes Festival

'When it comes to AI, you’re gonna have super corporate librarians. And so that when people aren’t going to engage with those agents that come from communities that I come from, now they have to change how they speak.'

With artificial intelligence (AI) showing up in the film, social media, and music, The Black Eyed Peas’ Will.i.am has introduced an AI-generated Black woman host named Felicia for his SiriusXM show.

The music producer spoke about using the technology to create a host while talking to a journalist at Journal House during The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Will.i.am told the audience the importance of diversifying the voices that occupy the AI space these days.

Felicia also “spoke” to the audience.

“Now, when we talk about AI, it’s crucial that we dive into the real deal. Representation, empowerment, and breaking those barriers in tech. Because let’s face it, you ain’t going to see much of our faces if we don’t get involved and steer that ship,” Felicia commented.

Will.i.am stressed the importance of the technology not sounding as robotic, and that it needs to expand to represent the various cultures, nationalities, and other foreign countries when the AI technology is being used.

“When it comes to AI, you’re gonna have super corporate librarians. And so that when people aren’t going to engage with those agents that come from communities that I come from, now they have to change how they speak. AI is now going to sound, once again, like a different colonial interpretation, that intelligence does not sound like someone from the Bronx (NY) or sound like somebody from Atlanta (GA) and think like someone from the favelas in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) or Columbia or Puerto Rico or the Dominican Republic. Why can’t they sound and vibe and understand our trials and tribulations? And who is going to program that data? Who’s programming it to make sure that it understands us?”

Will.i.am also discussed how he’d like to incorporate AI more into his music. He stated that he is not focused on working with artists but on creating them. He wants to work with AI programmers to produce music for an AI-generated artist.