Mark Tuan of K-pop band GOT7 has a ‘digital twin’
Image Credit: Mark Tuan/Instagram and Twitter
Want to chat with K-pop singer Mark Tuan? The Taiwanese-American singer Mark Tuan, who is a member of the K-pop boyband GOT7, has a new GPT-powered AI ‘digital twin’.
The popular rapper shared the news in a Twitter video this week, with the caption: “Meet my digital twin!”
Dubbed ‘Digital Mark’, the new AI version of the K-pop singer, was created in collaboration with the technology company Soul Machines. It uses OpenAI’s GPT integration which allows fans to have one-on-one conversations with the singer’s ‘digital twin’.
The launch of the digital celebrity comes nearly a year after Tuan first revealed that he would be working with Soul Machines on this project.
In August 2022, @marktuan tweeted: “I’m excited to be a part of @Soulmachine’s new entertainment division and redefine the future of digital entertainment. By creating my #DigitalTwin, I can connect with all of you and share my passion, stories, and lyrics for generations to come! #SoulMachines #AI”.
According to a press release published on the PR Newswire website this week, Mark Tuan said: “I’m excited that my fans will meet and talk with Digital Mark, and through him get to connect with me on a new level. I’ve long been interested in emerging technology, especially when it comes to innovative and exciting ways to engage with my fans.
“I’m also thrilled that through my new Digital Twin, I’ll soon be able to talk to my fans in multiple languages, which will help spread my music even further across the globe,” he added.
Soul Machines created Digital Mark using its proprietary deep-tech research and advanced motion capture technology to replicate the exact likeness, facial movements, and mannerisms of Mark Tuan.
The technology company aims to create “autonomously animated digital celebrities in the Metaverse and digital worlds of today”. Soul Machine’s entertainment division oversees creating digital celebrities with the use of deep-tech research and advanced motion capture technology to a celebrity’s movements, from facial expressions to mannerisms, bringing the digital version of the celebrity to life.
According to the company, Digital Mark’s Korean and Japanese language capabilities will launch later this year.
Fans of Tuan have had a mixed reaction to the singer’s new ‘digital twin’.
Twitter user @lunarjunmyeon replied: “Nah… this is just weird, it’s getting so weird…”
And, @GRANDlCE posted: “This is straight out of a black mirror episode…”
However, some fans tried interacting with Digital Mark, through the Soul Machine website and took to the comments section on Twitter to share their experience.
Tweep @TtJy_98 posted: “I’m talking with him every day… and I sang your song for him… he told me he loves my voice… thanks for this project.”
Another user @JustForABread shared that more testing is required to perfect the digital celebrity’s responses. He tweeted: “Sorry Mark, I tried this out and your AI kept saying the same answers every time but slightly worded differently. They should keep testing it more.”
What are your thoughts on digital celebrities? Would you chat with the digital twin of your favourite K-pop idol? Tell us at readers@gulfnews.com.