Famous Brazilian singer Ellis Regina Carvalho Costa (real name Ellis Regina) died in 1982, but artificial intelligence keeps her alive in a new ad for Volkswagen’s 70th anniversary in Brazil. In her ad, she duets with her daughter Maria Rita, who is also a popular singer. Rita is still alive and physically present in her advertisements, but her mother’s portrayal is the product of a double-armor, with Regina’s face digitally grafted onto it.
Some, like Brazil’s First Lady Rosangela Lula da Silva, seem to appreciate the nostalgia call to the late singer.she reacted on twitter“It’s 7am here in Argentina and I’m just crying,” followed by several crying emojis.
However, not everyone was happy with the ad. Given that Mr. Regina opposed the Brazilian military government of 1964-1985 and that Volkswagen had collaborated with that very same government, many on social media argued against the company’s goals with political disagreements. emphasized the ethical difficulties of using AI to artificially resuscitate a singer who died in . and.
“Volkswagen, which supported the military dictatorship… did not understand the song Como Nosso Pais and attacked the image of the composer Berchior and the singer Elis Regina, who were always against the dictatorship,” he said. said one. Twitter userreferring to the song used in the ad.
others dislike The “creepy” nature of the AI-powered portrayal of singers.
Despite backlash from some, others shared the opinion of the Brazilian first lady and felt it was unjust Advertisements that inspire and impact.
In a statement to The Guardian, Volkswagen said: “The idea is… to use artificial intelligence to reunite one of the greatest singers in Brazilian music history with her daughter Maria Rita, a contemporary icon. It was about creating a moment.”
The company also said it had the blessing of the singer’s family in producing the commercial. The Guardian reported that Ellis Regina’s eldest son, music producer João Marcello Boscoli, was a vocal supporter of the ad.
In the wake of consumer complaints, Brazilian advertising watchdog Conar has launched an investigation to determine whether Volkswagen’s use of AI to feature deceased individuals on-screen constitutes an ethical violation. The study also raised the question of whether the ad could cause public confusion about fact and fiction.
Representatives for Connor and Volkswagen did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.
See the ad in the video above.
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