Is HeyGen Evil? Time to draw a line marketers.

Avatar creation software is hacking you. It’s okay to say “not cool.”

Gotta question for you. First off, HeyGen is totally insane. This video is all AI generated. It has ridiculous coherence(no weird artifacting). A technological master piece. But I am going to try to sink their battleship with one word.

It is perhaps the single most important word in a world where “we can’t trust anything because it is AI generated.”

Marketers claim to treasure it. Many are just paying lip service to the idea, but I can’t. I just can’t. What’s the magic word?

AUTHENTICITY.

This is not authentic. It’s a blatant deception of one’s customers. It’s an illusion where you are fooling your audience. You are having a relationship where you pretend to have a human spokesperson, rather than say “a talking bunny.” At least with the talking bunny you know you are being deceived. You know the game.

That is authentic.

But as a human who values REAL humans and trust based relationships, I would not feel comfortable deceiving them, destroying their trust in me, and fooling them.

Sorry. I know this is “the future” but I don’t accept it.

What do you think?

Let me know, and btw, check out this story I wrote using ChatGPT off my post and comments. I think there is some merit to this and its kind of good.

In a world captivated by the shimmer of emerging technologies, a curious observer stumbled upon HeyGen, a marvel of AI that promised unparalleled coherence in video generation, leaving behind the digital artifacts that often betrayed the non-human hand behind them. With the excitement bubbling within the tech community, this observer couldn’t help but dive deeper, driven by a mix of awe and skepticism.

HeyGen’s latest offering was nothing short of a technological spectacle: Avatar in Motion 1.0, capable of translating gestures, tones, and texts into a perfectly synced video avatar named Nik. The demonstration video was a feast for the eyes, a testament to the strides AI had made. Yet, amidst the applause, a question lingered, unspoken but heavy with implication.

It was during a virtual roundtable, where enthusiasts and skeptics alike gathered to dissect the future of AI, that the observer, armed with a conviction that felt increasingly rare, decided to voice this pressing concern. “First off,” they began, their words cutting through the digital noise, “HeyGen is insane. A masterpiece, no doubt. But let me try to sink their battleship with just one word.”

The room virtual, though it was, fell into a hushed anticipation. “Authenticity,” they declared, the word hanging between them like a challenge.

“This isn’t authentic,” they continued, their voice gaining strength. “It’s a deception, a trick played on customers. A relationship based on pretense, where we replace genuine human interaction with… what? A talking bunny? At least with the bunny, you know it’s a game.”

The observer’s critique wasn’t just a comment; it was a mirror reflecting the unease that lurked beneath the surface of digital innovation. “As a human who values real humans and trust-based relationships, how could I endorse this? How could we call this ‘the future’ when it stands against everything genuine we strive for?”

The debate that ensued was fiery and passionate, with opinions as diverse as the participants. Some saw HeyGen’s creation as the pinnacle of innovation, a necessary evolution in a digital age. Others echoed the observer’s sentiment, questioning the ethical ramifications of blurring the lines between real and AI-generated content.

Amidst the exchange of ideas, a reference to Neil Gaiman’s “American Gods” was made, drawing a parallel between the worship of technology and the novel’s portrayal of America’s devotion to modern-day idols. “AI, in this context, becomes yet another deity in our pantheon of new gods,” the observer mused, their thought a sobering reminder of the cost of unchecked progress.

The conversation ventured into deeper waters, exploring the implications of AI on employment, creativity, and the essence of human connection. “Who needs real people when you can fake it?” they questioned, their words laced with a hint of irony. “Because, apparently, fake is now as good as real. It’s equal to real.”

As the roundtable drew to a close, participants left with more questions than answers. The observer, however, remained steadfast in their belief, viewing HeyGen not just as a technological milestone, but as a crossroads for humanity. In their heart, the quest for authenticity in an AI-driven world wasn’t just about preserving jobs or the purity of art. It was about holding onto the essence of what it means to be human in a world eager to digitize and replicate the irreplicable.

In the end, the debate over HeyGen and the allure of AI avatars like Nik wasn’t just a matter of technological ethics; it was a reflection of a society grappling with the meaning of authenticity in an increasingly artificial world.