Forget the Hollywood A-Listers — thanks to AI, now you can watch short films, starring you.
Billed as the "world's first live AI experience", HyperCinema is a 45-minute exhibition, combining cinema and art, with artificial intelligence.
Using a series of photographs and answers from a short questionnaire, AI creates a personalised film, art gallery portraits and large scale projections.
It's been created by Auckland-based digital agency Gladeye, along with Miles Gregory, who was the brains behind the popular Pop-up Globe theatre.
When that came to an end because of Covid restrictions, Gregory set his sights on artificial intelligence.
"The creative abilities of AI surpass anything I've ever seen in my life," he said. "It's been a massive journey for me personally of course, going from Shakespeare, hundreds of years old, in a really analogue physical format, to AI storytelling."
But artificial intelligence is becoming an increasing concern for many in the entertainment space.
Fears it could replace real jobs in the film industry is one of the key reasons Hollywood actors and screenwriters are on strike.
And an AI-generated popstar, named Noonoouri, recently scored a major record deal with Warner Music.
"People are going to lose their jobs," associate professor Alex Sims, from the University of Auckland's business school, said. "A few jobs may be created, but what's going to happen is there's going to be fewer people with more skills using AI."
Denise Roche, from performers' union Equity NZ, said she's already seeing AI's impact.
"We're starting to hear about narration work being taken over by AI and we're also hearing about people having their voices cloned, or their images cloned."
But Gregory said artificial intelligence entertainment and traditional entertainment can co-exist.
"AI is a tool, like lots of other tools, and I think it's going to lead to huge changes in the entertainment industry, but the creative possibilities, that's going to unlock whole new ways of thinking."
Opening for a limited 7-week season, HyperCinema offers admission by timed entry.
Doors open for a preview season on September 19, with a grand opening on September 22.
All visitor data is deleted after each experience.
SHARE ME