A woman who sold her face to artificial intelligence for $2,000 has revealed the one thing she regrets.
The woman known as Lucy shared how it all began with a direct message from an AI start up that was sent to her on Instagram.
The message offered to pay her money in exchange for selling the rights to her face in order for them to use it to create an AI generated model.
However, while it seemed like an easy way to make some cash at first, it turn out very differently as it has now meant that Lucy has no control over how her face will be used in advertisements for the rest of her life.
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She spoke to the Mirror, saying: “Get advice and think about your future. I really regret rushing my decision and should have sought legal advice before signing that contract or even just discussed it with my parents at least. I also never thought about the long term, the only thing I cared about at the time was the payout.”
A documentary shedding light on the process, The AI Face Trade, is available to watch on YouTube which shows how AI models are beginning to replace human content creators.
Producer of the show, Sam Tullen, said: “Lucy’s case is just the tip of the iceberg. AI is already transforming so many industries around the world at an unprecedented rate, and now some people are willingly handing over their faces without fully understanding the long-term consequences.
“I’ve always been fascinated by the ways AI is reshaping the world. When I first learned about Lucy’s story, I realized this wasn’t some distant, futuristic concept. It’s happening now, and it’s happening fast, and I really wanted to bring awareness to that.”
Many people have taken to social media to share their own reactions to the news, with one user writing on Reddit: “Implication of this is pretty scary when you think about it. The company can literally do whatever they want with her likeness and even sell it with no legal repercussions. Advertisements and NSFW content could be made with her face and without her permission. She could face real world consequences like losing her job and personal relationships. Laws needs to be passed to prevent and control this before it becomes a widespread issue.”
Another said: “She sold her face to AI but won’t show her face in this interview?”
A third person commented: “She's not allowed to, she sold it. Gotta spend the rest of her days pixellated.”
And a fourth added: “Bruh that’s not even a month of rent these days.”