There is an ongoing discussion about using artificial intelligence (AI) technology in media, with many believing it’s copyright infringement. Recently, Chinese actress Dilraba Dilmurat (迪丽热巴) found herself becoming a victim of AI after a drama used her image without authorisation.
Chinese short web drama “Ride Against The Wind (红星新闻)” recently sparked controversy after it allegedly used AI to synthesise Dilraba’s face onto an actress’ body. According to reports, the scene originally featured another actress. As the camera panned to the actress, her face turned into Dilraba. The noticeable shadow on her jawline prompted the suspicion that the drama used AI technology to change the heroine’s face.
As Dilraba was not part of the drama’s cast, it’s believed that the production team had used her image in the scene without her consent. Unsurprisingly, this issue sparked anger amongst fans, who slammed the drama for infringing the star’s portrait rights. Many also urged the actress’ agency to take legal action against the production team, asking them to protect Dilraba’s rights from being illegally used.
However, it’s also reported that the now-viral scene was a reproduction. This revelation suggests that AI usage is likely the work of a third party and not the production company. A spokesperson for the Weibo account that published the edited copy clarified that they were unaware that the drama had illegally used Dilraba’s face in one of the scenes. The account has since taken down the controversial video.
Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time studios and netizens infringed on Dilraba’s portrait rights using AI technology. Last year, a man sparked public backlash after he used AI to synthesise himself and the actress kissing. With the emergence of this new issue, many fans are asking her agency to take legal action. Many also argued that the edited videos and pictures could cause unnecessary controversies.
With the usage of AI technology to synthesise content continuing to be a heated topic, we hope her agency will take this matter seriously before anything else happens. What are your thoughts on this?
Watch the controversial scene below:
