Lucy found herself intrigued when she received a message on Instagram inviting her to become an AI model. The 23-year-old, inspired by celebrities like Kendall Jenner who had created their own AI avatars, saw this as an exciting opportunity to make £1,500. Without seeking advice, she quickly accepted the offer from the AI start-up.
Unbeknownst to Lucy, by signing the contract, she unknowingly surrendered her image rights for life in exchange for payment. This legal agreement now potentially allows her likeness to be used in advertisements without her consent. Lucy shared her experience with the Manchester Evening News, admitting that she didn’t fully understand the complex contract she had entered into, which required her to provide numerous video clips for her AI model development.
She recalled, “The contract prohibits me from receiving payment for endorsing brands, limiting my potential as a user-generated content creator, a realization that dawned on me during the documentary filming.” Lucy is now the subject of a new documentary exploring the rise of AI models in user-generated content, shot in Manchester.
The documentary creator, Sam Tullen, explained his fascination with AI models and the need to shed light on the practice of using real people’s faces to create AI avatars. While Lucy’s situation may not be widespread currently, Tullen believes it could become more common. He hopes that his documentary, titled “I Sold My Face to AI for £1,500,” will raise awareness about the implications of these technological advancements.
Tullen emphasized the importance of discussing these issues as technology outpaces legislation. The documentary is available for viewing on the @docodocumentaries YouTube channel. Names in the story have been changed for confidentiality purposes.