VN Express and others reported that fashion model Zheng Tuilin, who has tens of thousands of followers on social networking services (SNS), was found to be an AI virtual character, not a real person.
Quang Dong, a resident of Hanoi, developed the virtual model by combining Generative AI tools and video generation AI. Analysts say that the model has targeted the target audience by embodying oriental features, white skin and luxurious image in the style of rich daughter.
In the past, Quang Dong ran a clothing store and suffered from the cost of recruiting models and uncertain marketing effects. He achieved results within a month of introducing AI models.
“We recorded more than 300 million sales in the first month of introducing AI models alone,” he said. “The time to produce content, which used to take a lot of time in the past, has now been shortened to 5-10 minutes, and we are uploading 15 to 20 videos a day,” he added.
Nguyen Tyne Nam, a Ho Chi Minh marketing expert, also trains AI as a product reviewer beyond simple image creation to make profits.
He stressed, “The key is not just a pretty face, but to inspire the ‘soul’ such as subtle facial expression changes and mouth shape.” Nam earns between 1 million and 5 million won in advertising production per case.
New ecosystems such as coaching services and agency businesses that teach how to make AI virtual models have also been formed. “Demand has more than doubled compared to the previous month, with 150 students flocking in January this year alone,” said Duyi, an AI instructor in Hanoi. “Mainly, mall operators in their 20s and 40s are coming to cut costs,” he explained.
There are also concerns over the spread of virtual models that are more realistic than the real ones. Consumers are increasingly wary of “fishing advertisements,” which are far from the real thing. An increasing number of people are requesting live broadcasts or uncorrected videos to check the actual product’s material or shape.
An expert said, “Vietnam is rapidly growing in the field of creative Generative AI applications.” However, he said, “We need to pay attention to the ethical risks of learning other people’s images without permission and the possibility of copyright infringement.” He added, “A system should be introduced in which contents are labeled as ‘AI products’.” Industry officials predicted that AI will replace about 70% of simple and repetitive model tasks.
JENNIFER KIM
US ASIA JOURNAL
