Do You Have A Digital Twin
Technically, "digital twins" have been around for awhile. It is essentially a virtual representation of an object - think of a 3D model for design or manufacturing. There is a new wave of digital twins flowing in thanks to major leaps in the quality of generative AI.
ChatGPT 4o was released earlier this week touting a major upgrade in resolution and its ability to source various art styles; which is why your social feed was flooded with anime images from people experimenting. H&M is taking this to a new level by creating very high quality?virtual?models of their?real?models to be used in iterative digital ads.
Fear not, the real models are on board and have been compensated, but one would think that at some point companies will just skip sourcing a real model, and just use a virtual one who is available 24/7. Losing a campaign to your digital twin would be, awkward. Enjoy these stories from around the technology horn this week!
H&M is stepping into the future with AI-generated digital twins of real-life models for an upcoming ad campaign. These virtual avatars will showcase the brand's clothing without requiring traditional photoshoots, makeup, or stylists. By using AI to create digital replicas from multiple photos, H&M hopes to cut costs and streamline the marketing process.
Models will still receive compensation for their digital clones, ensuring they retain rights to their avatars, but questions about compensation and the impact on other industry roles, like photographers and stylists, are still up in the air. The fashion world is watching closely to see if this disrupts the creative economy, or if shoppers will warm to these AI-generated looks.
Napster, the legendary file-sharing platform that revolutionized the music industry 25 years ago, has been acquired by Infinite Reality for $207 million. The company plans to breathe new life into Napster by merging it with virtual 3D spaces for music lovers to enjoy concerts and listening parties together in the metaverse. Artists will have the freedom to create immersive environments for fans, and digital merchandise will play a key role.
Though it’s a small player in streaming now, this acquisition could usher in a new era for Napster, offering social features and Web3 integration. It’s a wild reinvention of the once-pirated platform—Napster’s back and ready to disrupt.
Sony and Netflix have teamed up to launch The Seven Deadly Sins NFT collection on Opensea, marking a groundbreaking move in the anime and Web3 space. This collaboration brings blockchain-verified digital collectibles to fans, allowing them to own a piece of the beloved anime series. Powered by Sony's blockchain infrastructure, Soneium, the NFTs offer exclusive content and trading opportunities for fans.
This marks the first major anime IP to enter the NFT world, potentially paving the way for other iconic series to follow. With over 55 million copies sold, The Seven Deadly Sins is poised to make waves in both anime and the digital collectible space.