Absurd “first AI pageant” slammed on social media

04/17/2024 / By Ramon Tomey

Social media users openly denounced the “first artificial intelligence (AI) pageant,” claiming that the virtual contest is a sign that the world is getting worse.

The World AI Creator Awards (WAICA) sponsored by virtual model content creator Fanvue will be awarding the title of Miss AI to the winning digital model, according to the Sun. A $5,000 cash prize will be awarded to the creator behind the Miss AI, alongside promotion on Fanvue’s platforms and public relations support worth more than $5,000. Second- and third-place winners will also receive an undisclosed prize, the outlet added.

Four judges – two digital models and two humans – will scrutinize the Top 10 models to be shortlisted from thousands of entries, before deciding on the Top 3. Emily Pellegrini and Aitana Lopez, two AI-generated influencers, will sit on the panel. Miss Great Britain head judge Sally-Ann Fawcett and marketing expert Andrew Bloch will be the human judges for Miss AI.

The four will examine the AI model’s beauty, the creator’s use of AI tools and social media clout. Winners of the Miss AI pageant will be announced on May 10 during an online awards ceremony, mirroring real-life counterparts.

However, some users excoriated the pageant, which began accepting entries on April 14. “I have a theory that we are getting dumber by the day, and this fits in perfectly,” one user said. Another chimed in: “Beauty pageant for AI women? What is the world turning into?”

A third user warned about AI’s influence, expressing the belief that it is a bane instead of a boon to humanity. They wrote: “Are you saying these are not real ladies? We have to be very careful of this AI thing so it doesn’t become for us a curse rather than a blessing.”

Even Claudia Jordan, model and star of “Real Housewives of Atlanta,” could not help but chime in. She blasted the absurd pageant and compared the models to photoshopped pictures.

“It’s hard enough being a woman in this society – the way it is, and the scrutiny we already get,” Jordan told TMZ. “Now, we have AI [increasing] the standard of beauty where they’re just so perfect.”

Pageant judge, sponsor defend competition

But a member of the four-person judging panel and a sponsor of the AI pageant both defended the competition. According to Fawcett, the event is taking pageanting to a new level.

“It’s funny because in the past, traditional beauty queens were called fake and artificial,” said Fawcett, a beauty pageant historian. She also authored the 2014 book “Misdemeanours: Beauty Queen Scandals” that touched on major controversies in the pageant world. (Related: AI-generated deepfakes are beginning to sway public opinion all over the world.)

“This takes it to a whole new level. As an added bonus, one must presume that they won’t be programmed to be bad losers.”

“The creator economy is an extremely exciting place to be right now,” said Fanvue co-founder Will Monange. “Miss AI recognizes talent and tech, which will help to raise standards within the industry.”

“It is just one award as part of a program. We share the vision for the WAICA to become the Oscars of the AI creator economy.”

Head over to Robots.news for more stories about artificial intelligence.

Watch this clip from Brannon Howse’s “Worldview Report” about deepfake AI becoming more convincing in its generation of digital women.

This video is from the AmazingAI channel on Brighteon.com.