I heard a great expression the other day – “more popular than a virtual influencer using crypto to hustle for NFTs created by AI”. It wasn’t intended as a compliment.
Nevertheless, we do have virtual YouTubers, and right now, they seem less controversial than NFTs or poorly run crypto exchanges and less hotly debated than AIs learning by seeing. Kizunaai AI (English site) is one virtual YouTuber, with over 3 million subscribers and all about bridging the gap between us and AI.
There are English subtitles on this trailer for Kizuna No Allele, an anime project, “from” Kizuna Ai.
The anime is made by Isaribi Inc, Wit Studio and Signal.MD. It’s due out next year, and a press release offers this synopsis;
This is a story about the bonds between girls.
Kizuna Ai appeared like a comet in the virtual world, becoming massively popular in the blink of an eye.
After five consecutive years of gracing the Lapin Doll—the highest honor of the Virtual Grid Awards—she disappeared as quickly as she came.
Several months have passed since then…
ADEN Academy is a school that specializes in training new talent who will make their debut in the virtual world.
There, students each with their own hopes and dreams work hard every day.
“I wanna be a virtual artist just like AI!”
A young girl named Miracle enrolls in ADEN Academy with this conviction in her heart.
There, she’ll meet all kinds of people and make wonderful new memories with them as they each pursue their dreams.
Are you ready? ――
Ayumi Hinohara will voice Miracle, our main character who hopes to become a virtual artist like Ai.
The History of Kizuna Ai
Kizuna Ai is a virtual YouTuber, or VTuber, created in December 2016 by the Japanese company Activ8. She was designed to be an AI-driven virtual personality that interacts with her fans through live streams and videos. Since her debut, Kizuna has quickly become one of the most popular VTubers, with over 6.5 million subscribers on YouTube and over 1.2 million followers on Twitter.
Kizuna Ai is unique in that she is the world’s first AI-driven virtual YouTuber, meaning that she is programmed to respond to fan comments and questions. Her AI is powered by IBM Watson, and her videos are produced using motion capture technology. She has become an internet sensation, with her videos reaching millions of viewers worldwide.
Kizuna’s popularity has extended beyond just YouTube and has spawned a wide range of merchandise, including figurines, clothing, and even a range of “Kizuna”-branded cosmetics. She has also been featured in several video games, such as the popular “Just Dance” series.
Kizuna Ai is a pioneer in virtual YouTubers, suggesting that AI-driven personalities can be successful and beloved by fans. Her popularity continues to grow, and she is an important figure in the VTuber community.
Via Anime News Network.
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