Aitana, a 25-year-old woman with pink hair from Barcelona, receives weekly private messages from celebrities inviting her out, yet this model is entirely artificial.
Aitana, the pioneering Spanish model brought to life by artificial intelligence (AI), emerged during a challenging period.
Her creator, Rubén Cruz, the mind behind the agency The Clueless, faced a tough phase due to a lack of clients.
“We started examining our methods and noticed that numerous projects were stalled or canceled due to factors beyond our control. Frequently, the influencer or model was to blame rather than design issues,” explained Cruz to Euronews.
In response, they opted to craft their own influencer to serve as a model for the brands engaging with them.
Enter Aitana, a vibrant individual resembling a 25-year-old with pink hair hailing from Barcelona. This virtual model can rake in up to €10,000 monthly, as per her creator, with an average of around €3,000.
“We did this to improve our livelihood and not be reliant on individuals with egos, idiosyncrasies, or those solely driven by financial gain from posing,” Cruz remarked.
Aitana’s earnings are varied.
She nets slightly over €1,000 per advertisement and has recently become the face of Big, a sports supplement company. Additionally, she shares lingerie photos on Fanvue, a platform akin to OnlyFans.
In a short span, she amassed over 121,000 Instagram followers, garnering thousands of views and reactions on her posts. Notably, she even receives messages from celebrities oblivious to her non-existence.
“One day, a prominent Latin American actor messaged her for a date. This actor boasts approximately 5 million followers, and some of our team members watched his TV shows in their youth,” Cruz disclosed.
“He was unaware that Aitana was a virtual entity,” he added.
How is an AI model brought to life?
The agency convenes weekly to script Aitana’s life. They determine her weekly activities, places to visit, and which photos to share to engage her followers keen on her updates.
However, there are no photoshoots or outfit changes; instead, a blend of artificial intelligence and design experts, leveraging Photoshop, orchestrates scenarios like Aitana spending a weekend in Madrid.
“In the initial month, we realized that people follow lives, not just images. Since she lacks a physical presence, we had to infuse a hint of reality to establish a connection with the audience. We had to narrate a story,” the graphic designer expressed.
Unlike traditional models who often maintain a neutral persona to serve as a ‘blank canvas’ for designers, Aitana possesses a distinctive ‘personality’.
Crafted as a fitness enthusiast with a resolute and intricate character, she describes herself as sociable and compassionate on her website.
“A considerable amount of deliberation went into shaping Aitana. We fashioned her based on societal preferences, contemplating the trends, interests, and niches in recent times,” Cruz elucidated.
After scrutinizing trends, they observed the European influence on oriental culture, which they encapsulated in Aitana’s pink hair and gamer persona.
Aitana’s triumph prompted the creation of a second virtual model dubbed Maia, characterized as “a tad more reserved”.
The monikers were not arbitrarily chosen; both incorporate the artificial intelligence (AI) acronym.
Democratizing Model Utilization?
The agency finds itself inundated with requests from brands seeking their personalized model.
These brands aspire to embody their values through a non-human image, ensuring continuity in case of personnel changes or unavailability, Cruz explained.
Moreover, substantial cost savings are realized. Upon recognizing the exorbitant earnings of real influencers, the agency deemed it “anomalous”.
“Kim Kardashian earns a million euros for an Instagram post without performing groundbreaking feats. No one should pocket a million euros for a social media upload; it seems preposterous to me,” he remarked.
The agency envisions this approach could drive down market rates and empower small enterprises unable to afford extensive advertising campaigns.
Nonetheless, the initiative faces criticism. Many fear that the models’ unrealistic perfection could fuel obsessions among the younger populace to attain unattainable standards.
Critics also decry the models’ overt sexualization. In response, the agency asserts they merely mirror the existing aesthetic cultivated by real influencers and brands.
“To pique brands’ interest, we must adhere to this aesthetic. Altering this paradigm necessitates a transformation in brands’ perspectives. Sexualization is pervasive in the global landscape,” they contend.
