{"id":5635,"date":"2024-10-28T18:00:30","date_gmt":"2024-10-28T18:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tradetrovex.com\/index.php\/2024\/10\/28\/ai-replicated-michael-parkinson-to-host-completely-unscripted-celebrity-podcast\/"},"modified":"2024-10-28T18:00:30","modified_gmt":"2024-10-28T18:00:30","slug":"ai-replicated-michael-parkinson-to-host-completely-unscripted-celebrity-podcast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tradetrovex.com\/index.php\/2024\/10\/28\/ai-replicated-michael-parkinson-to-host-completely-unscripted-celebrity-podcast\/","title":{"rendered":"AI-replicated Michael Parkinson to host \u2018completely unscripted\u2019 celebrity podcast"},"content":{"rendered":"

An AI-replicated Sir Michael Parkinson is set to host a new podcast, featuring a series of completely unscripted interviews with celebrities.<\/p>\n

Virtually Parkinson is a world-first podcast according to its producers, Deep Fusion Films, and has been made with the support and involvement of Parkinson\u2019s<\/strong> family and estate.<\/p>\n

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Known for his interviews with the world\u2019s biggest stars, Parkinson died last year aged 88<\/strong>, following a brief illness.<\/p>\n

The eight-part show will use AI technology<\/strong> to synthetically recreate the late presenter\u2019s voice and interview style, drawing from a back catalogue of over 2,000 of his interviews.<\/p>\n

The system \u2013 dubbed \u201cSquark\u201d \u2013 uses AI tools to allow live humans to speak with voices from the past.<\/p>\n

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Calling it \u201ca tribute to my Dad,\u201d Parkinson\u2019s son, Mike Parkinson, reached out to the company with the idea of creating the podcast, as a way to preserve his father\u2019s legacy.<\/p>\n

He said: \u201cI want audiences to marvel at the technology, the cleverness and cheekiness of the concept, but mostly I want them to remember just how good he was at interviewing and enjoy the nostalgia and happy memories.<\/p>\n

\u201cThrough this platform, his legacy can continue, entertaining a new generation of fans.\u201d<\/p>\n

Deep Fusion Films co-founder Jamie Anderson said watching Parkinson\u2019s son\u2019s reaction to hearing his late father\u2019s voice was \u201csomething really special,\u201d adding that those who had listened to the AI replication had been \u201cwowed\u201d by its accuracy and warmth.<\/p>\n

The company has expanded to create the project, hiring a new head of creative AI, an AI prompt engineer, researchers, guest bookers, podcast producers, and a sound engineer.<\/p>\n

AI ethics in the spotlight<\/strong><\/p>\n

Concerns over the growing use of AI in the industry partly inspired last year\u2019s US strike by actors and writers, which brought Hollywood to a virtual standstill<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

In 2022, the UK acting union Equity launched a campaign called Stop AI Stealing The Show.<\/p>\n

Performers have found their jobs particularly vulnerable to new technology<\/strong>, putting both their livelihoods and reputations at risk, in the case of deepfakes mistaken by the public as the real thing.<\/p>\n

Touching on the ethics of the project, Deep Fusion Films says it is \u201copenly showcasing the AI aspect,\u201d and will signpost that the podcast is hosted by AI at the start.<\/p>\n

It will also feature a debrief with the interviewee about what it was like to be interviewed by an AI at the end.<\/p>\n

Guests are yet to be confirmed, but are said to be \u201cnotable people from a variety of spheres\u201d including film and TV, music, and politics.<\/p>\n

Born into a family of miners in Barnsley, Parkinson\u2019s broadcasting career saw him front more than 600 shows and 2,000 interviews, working with the BBC, ITV, and Sky.<\/p>\n

He interviewed stars including John Wayne, Fred Astaire, John Lennon, Tom Cruise, Madonna, and the Beckhams, plus a notably prickly interview with Hollywood star Meg Ryan<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Virtually Parkinson will be released on the official Michael Parkinson YouTube channel later this year, alongside a curated collection of archival footage.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

This post appeared first on sky.com<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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