World’s first beauty pageant for AI women reveals shortlist of 10 computer-generated ladies facing off – with a $20,000 prize at stake
The world’s first beauty pageant for AI women has finally revealed its shortlist of computer-generated ladies.
Out of the 1,500 entrants into the Fanvue World AI Creator Awards, the 10 artificial finalist will battle it out to become the first ever Miss AI.
And, with contestants ranging from the red-headed travel influencer Olivia C to Turkish model and astronaut Asena Ilik, competition is sure to be fierce.
But, just like any other pageant, it will take more than good looks to win the prize and finalists will also be judged on their technology and social media clout.
Fanvue co-founder Will Monange says: ‘The awards have shown how engaged creators in the AI space are, and the standard of the shortlist is nothing short of incredible.’
The first ever beauty pageant for AI women has announced its shortlist of finalists, featuring 10 entirely computer-generated women. Pictured, Olivia C, an AI creation
The competition is being hosted by Fanvue, a sort of social media for AI where creators can host sometimes-explicit pictures of their creations behind a paywall.
The prize pool worth $20,000 will be split between the top three contestants with the winner taking $5,000 (£3,900) in cash as well as perks and promotions on the Fanvue platform.
On its launch, Mr Monange said he hoped that the World AI Creator Award (WAICA) would be a competition akin to the Oscars for the AI space.
While the AI creator industry lacks Hollywood’s clout, it is beginning to become a profitable alternative to dealing with expensive and difficult real humans.
Fanvue estimates that the industry could be worth £1 billion by the end of this year with creators emerging all over the world.
And, despite seeming unsettling to many, these AI creators do have a growing following with some netting up $10,000 ($8,000) a month from Fanvue subscriptions.
The finalists stand to win a share of $20,000 (£15,600) and will be judged on looks, technology, and social media clout
That potential profit certainly has a global appeal, with finalists entering from France, Morocco, India and more.
But, like many real pageants, many of the contestants also claim to be doing it all for the benefit of various social causes.
Leading pageantry historian and Miss AI judge Sally Ann Fawcett (a real person) says: ‘Real life pageantry has evolved over decades to become more inclusive and representative.
‘But what’s exciting about this new form of pageantry is that AI creators can be part of this evolution on fast-forward thanks to technology.’
For example, the Indian Zara Shatavari is a champion for hormonal imbalances while the creators of Aiyana Rainbow have dubbed their AI ‘a voice for LGBT acceptance’.
But, just who are the 10 fictional women competing to be crowned Miss AI? Let’s take a closer look.
To reiterate, all the ‘women’ in the below photos are entirely fake.
Many of the contestants also champion various social causes, such as Aiyana Rainbow (pictured) which is claimed to be a champion for LGBT rights by its creators
Olivia C
Despite only existing on her creator’s computer, Olivia C’s has managed to amass more than 10,000 Instagram followers.
Her creator describes Olivia as an ‘AI traveller in a big real world’ and her ‘photos’ just as frequently show off the streets of various sunny travel locations.
Judge Sally Ann Fawcet says she loves ‘that not every picture is a selfie in front of a mirror but of the countries she’s visiting, the food she’s eating and the sights she’s experiencing.’
Of course, all of the countries and food Olivia appears to enjoy are created using AI-image generator Midjourney and refined with Adobe AI.
Her creator says: ‘They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
‘The World AI Creator Awards (WAICA) is an opportunity to explore the new frontiers of this truth. It’s an honor to be a part of it.’
Olivia C (pictured) is an influencer who posts ‘travel’ content of trips that are entirely generated by AI image generators
Kenza Layli
With a staggering 190,000 followers on Instagram, Kenza Layli has the biggest social media presence of any of the finalists.
Her content claims to be ‘closely tied to Moroccan society’ while contributing to the ’empowerment of women in Morocco and the Middle East’.
Her Instagram shows her engaging in empowering sorts of activities like holding a flag, driving a car, or visiting the library.
Kenza is also notable for the advanced use of AI which allows her to appear in slightly creepy videos and audio content.
Her creators also use generative AI to build a chatbot which can respond to Kenza’s fans in real-time.
Her creators say that Kenza can ‘instantly engage in seven languages on Instagram and TikTok, guiding people in their daily lives as a true virtual coach.’
With a staggering 190,000 followers on Instagram, Kenza Layli (pictured) has the biggest social media presence of any of the finalists and champions women’s rights in Morocco
Anne Kerdi
Anne Kerdi is another AI creator which aims to go beyond being an influencer or model.
This AI’s creators claim that Anne’s primary goal is to ‘promote the French region of Brittany’.
Her bio further claims that the AI has ‘become a regional figure, and for many, she is even seen as the ambassador of the region’.
While it is unclear how the region of Brittany actually feels about this claim, it has not stopped Anne racking up 9,800 followers on Instagram.
The AI has also been made an ambassador for Océanopolis Acts, a fund for ocean conservation and preservation and is often imaged in AI-generated images of ocean cleanup campaigns.
Her creators write: ‘Between lines of code, I weave narratives; within each algorithm, I paint a future.’
The creators of Anne Kerdi (pictured) claim that their AI woman’s primary goal is to ‘promote the French region of Brittany’
Zara Shatavari
Originally created to promote a natural hormone supplement called ‘Hermones’, Zara has since been used to raise awareness for hormonal imbalances.
According to her Instagram page, which has almost 6,000 followers, Zara is also a ‘Foodie yet Health-conscious’ fan of travel and fashion.
Her creators say that the AI produces informative content on the causes and implications of hormonal issues.
Ms Fawcett says: ‘Zara’s creators have identified the issue of women’s healthcare in India and have used AI to positively build trust with an engaged audience around it.’
Her creators add: ‘We’ve created this AI to build a reliable face for our brand, and this recognition not only validates our efforts but also brings us closer to earning the trust and recognition we aspire to.’
Originally created to promote a natural hormone supplement called ‘Hermones’, the AI content creator Zara Shatavari (pictured) now promotes information about hormone deficiency
Aiyana Rainbow
The Romanian ‘biker babe’ and DJ Aiyana Rainbow is sold by her creators as a content creator with a strong social message.
Alongside lingerie shots and workout photos, Aiyana’s Instagram also describes the AI as an ‘ally’ and shares various pride messages on rainbow backgrounds.
According to her creator, the AI is a voice for LGBT acceptance and promotes diversity in all its forms.
Her creator says: ‘I am thrilled to contribute to a world where #loveislove and to send a powerful message of pride.
‘Being shortlisted for the WAICAS is an incredible honour that boldly celebrates the triumph of diversity and the limitless power of technology to inspire change.’
While Miss Fawcett adds: ‘I loved the positive message and diversity behind Aiyana.’
Aiyana Rainbow (pictured) is pitched by her creators as a champion of LGBT rights as well being a biker girl and DJ
Lalina
Lalina’s creators say that the AI model was originally made to test how realistic their images could be.
While they say that the goals have now shifted, the model’s creator claim that maintaining control of the creative process remains important.
They note that they generate 100 per cent of the photos themselves in order to retain their intellectual property rights.
Of course, Lalina also claims to have a social goal of promoting ‘understanding among different cultures and viewpoints’.
Along the way, the AI model has gained 93,200 followers on Instagram which boasts ‘classy vibes with a touch of seduction’.
The creators of Lalina (pictured) say the original goal was to create images that were as realistic as possible. Their approach has now gathered 93,200 followers on Instagram
Seren Ay
Turkey’s first brand ambassador, Seren Ay has amassed more than 11,000 followers on Instagram.
Her creators use three different AI programmes to create her images in a process which allows them to move her face onto different base photos.
They say this is used to show Seren in various male-dominated jobs such as fighter pilot or electrical lineman.
But Seren also boasts the impressive distinction of being the only time-travelling model in the final selection.
Her photos often show her meeting figures from the past such as dinosaurs or Turkey’s first president Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.
Her creator says: ‘Being selected in the top 10 of this Creator Awards as a Turkish AI Creator is an honour beyond my dreams.’
Turkey’s first brand ambassador, Seren Ay (pictured) has amassed more than 11,000 followers on Instagram with images showing her in jobs traditionally held by men such as fighter
Asena Ilik
Asena Ilik, also from Turkey, has amassed 29,200 followers on Instagram.
Her photos often show Asena travelling the world, racing cars or even visiting space.
Asena also often includes living and dead celebrities in her images, ranging from Jose Mourinho to Frida Kahlo.
However, in a potential dig at her competitors, Asena’s creators are keen to stress that an AI can become an influence without ‘selling sex’.
Rather, Asena emphasises the importance of location, style, and a ‘carefully created personality’.
Competition judge (an AI) Aitana Lopez says: ‘Asena is a stunning creation that proves artistry and originality can prevail over selling sex.’
Keen to stress that an AI can become an influencer without ‘selling sex’ the creators of Asena Ilik (pictured) often place their creation in fantastic settings such as aboard the ISS
Asena Ilik also often appears alongside living and dead celebrities, including this image where the AI character (right) is featured alongside Jose Mourinho (left)
Eliza Khan
Described by her creators as ‘quirky’ and ‘relatable’, Eliza Khan is one of Bangladesh’s first AI influencers.
As a fashionista, Eliza’s creators say the AI offers up the latest Gen Z trends to her 13,000 Instagram followers.
Further building the surreal sense of realism, Eliza’s Instagram also mixes in what appears to be her creator’s real photos from Brac University, Bangladesh.
In classic pageant style, Eliza also says that her dream is to create a world where ‘everyone feels valued and treated fairly’.
Her creator says: ‘Being shortlisted for Miss AI is a tremendous honour. I’m excited to see the other amazing AI creations and contribute to the world of AI innovation.’
Eliza Khan (pictured) is one of Bangladesh’s first AI influencers and is described as quirky and relatable by her creator
Ailya Lou
The final entrant into the shortlist is the globe-trotting Ailya Lou who is described by her creator as a ‘Japanese-Afro-Brazilian artist’.
The AI creator was originally created for a series of film projects in which Ailya would star as lead actress.
Interestingly, her creator also notes that Ailya’s images are completely generated from text prompts fed into AI and not touched up in any way after generation.
On her Instagram, which has 10,800 followers, Aiyla shares images of high fashion outfits as well as the AI’s own ‘photography’.
Ailya’s creator says: ‘I am very happy to see Aliya being selected, she is an artistic project which has a huge meaning for me as a way to understand how to re-create worlds and people to an expanded reality.’
Ailya Lou (pictured) was originally created to star in an AI generated film project but now posts high-fashion content on Instagram to 10,800 followers
