The application of artificial intelligence (AI) to "revive" golden age stars is becoming a topic of much debate in the Chinese entertainment industry.
While Jackie Chan's AI image was criticized by audiences for being unrealistic, Vuong To Hien's comeback with AI technology received strong support from fans.
After 22 years away from the screen, Vuong To Hien has recently officially licensed the use of his image to make an AI short film called "The Shadow of Beauty".
The work recreates the actress in the classic image of the character Nhiep Tieu Thien, evoking the peak of beauty and quickly creating a fever on social networks.
Not only Vuong To Hien, actor Ngo Khai Hoa also revealed that he sold image rights to implement an AI project to recreate his appearance in his twenties. The actor said he was satisfied with the product and the remuneration received.
Contrary to those positive feedbacks, the movie "Legend" previously disappointed when using AI to recreate the image of Jackie Chan at the age of 27.
About 70% of the scenes are processed using digital face ghép technology, but the unnatural effects make the film criticized for abusing AI to exploit the audience's nostalgia.
According to observers, the difference is not only in technology but also from viewers' expectations. For Vuong To Hien, what audiences simply want is to look back at the legendary beauty that was associated with classic roles. A short film of just a few dozen seconds is enough to awaken memories and emotions.
Meanwhile, audiences come to Jackie Chan not only to admire his youthful face but also to expect to enjoy realistic action scenes and emotional acting - something that AI has not yet been able to fully reproduce.
When technology is applied to a feature film, the limitations of expression and movement are more likely to be exaggerated.
Experts believe that at the present time, AI is more suitable for recreating nostalgic images instead of replacing actors in film works.
Wang Zuxian's success shows that audiences mainly want to meet the iconic faces of a time again, but do not really expect AI to create a complete work.
However, this trend still opens up new business opportunities. AI image licensing helps veteran artists create additional income, while brands and game developers can exploit the appeal of Hong Kong (China) icons at a much lower cost than inviting celebrities to participate in promotion.
However, besides commercial potential, the development of "AI stars" also poses many challenges regarding copyright, licensing scope and the risk of technology abuse to exploit nostalgic elements instead of investing in quality content.
With the current level of AI, many opinions believe that this technology is still most suitable to evoke memories of screen icons, instead of replacing them in real cinematic works.
