The number of infections across africa has surpassed 2000000, but lower rates of testing means the caseload is sought to be much higher across the continent. Any uganda, at least 16 people have been killed during protests sponsored by the arrests of Opposition Leader bobby wine Security Forces shot at crowds as they demonstrated after one was detained. At least 350 people have been arrested since wednesday as more from neighboring kenya. Weve seen Police Soldiers and security operatives in plain clothes, firing guns directly at people. We dont know what extent theyre using metal bullets or rubber coated bullets. Also a lot of use of tear gas as the police and the Security Forces to try to break up crowds of supporters of the pop star turned politician. Bobby, why in this hasnt just being the capital kampala, theres also be also been on rest in other parts of the country just a few hours ago earlier today as well as on wednesday when one was arrested. If the o. P. s military says its nearing to grays main city of mikhail in what it calls its final offensive, after more than 2 weeks of fighting with the regions leaders, the prime Ministers Task or says its close to ending the conflicts, the violent us for certain a 1000 people to flee into neighboring sudan. And mike brown pale, has become the 1st u. S. Secretary of state to visit an illegal settlement in the occupied west bank. He later child from there to the golan heights, also becoming the 1st top u. S. Official to visit there. Since israel took control of the territory in 1967 from pale is in israel as part of a 10 day tour of the middle east and europe. Those are the headlines coming up next on aljazeera. Its a stream. And so rahman will be with you after that to stay with us in under a year, coverage 19 has altered our society and exposed deficiencies in political, social, and economic structure of capitalism is the pandemic. That is the root cause of so much of the suffering. And big data were told could literally save our lives, can be the headline, has the pandemic given us the chance to reevaluate our own way to lock down coming soon on aljazeera i am probably ok you watching the stream home edition today. There is a new kind of social media incumbents that is growing in popularity. Some of the social media influence says, well, they have millions of followers and they are surely controversial. Why is that . Well, its because theyre not real. That Computer Generated imagery. Let me show you one of the most popular michaela he is doing the phone act. Everything seemed imaginable. When i was just a few lines of code i love creating music. Achieving the Impossible Task of being part of 2 galaxies all about the galaxy do if you cant influences what they do, the impact theyre having and they even legal. Thats all part of today stream. If youre new to jump into the comments, actually know where it is and be part of the show, we will wrap your questions, your thoughts, ideas into the program. I am going to introduce you to the guess they are going to tell you how low in tell you who they are and what they do have a desk. Its nice to see you. Welcome to the stream. Tell the world what it thanks so much for having me. I want to have the weekly podcast tech ash which covers the latest tech news and branch as their e. P. Of community and belonging. Good to have you, chris. Tell everybody who you are. Hieronymus, christopher, im the founder of virgins, are, or were documenting cultivating, and trying to empower the virtual who influencer industry. And we also create Virtual Influencers. Get to have your own for christopher and angelica hokum to the strain. Tell me who you are. Thank you so much. My names angelica, im a Virtual Influencer that identifies as an Artificial Intelligence and ive been online for almost 2 years now. And my main platform is you to angelicas really good to have you. We have questions already. Can you believe that one tweet or have a look here . My laptop on tonight told everybody that you were coming on the show. We were having this conversation discuss deep down his and you can see steve, she says, can we ask it her . She question angelica, what would you like to say back to steve . Yeah, absolutely. Right, that minute if ransoms gray, lets talk 1st of all about virtue of those what they are, how they work angelica, its not too personal. Im just going to ask you that straight out that a lot. Also, Virtual Influencers are much like real life confronts earth, except they employ a lot of technology to put on virtual character that they show the world rather than themselves. And i think it has massive potential to enhance human expression and to open up new formats for, you know, their content christen, im thinking about this for some people. This may be quite new. Some people who live on instagram know about how have i done tons of that you influences who are some of your favorites is going to take us through what they did and why theyre special. You know, one of my favorite hurtful influencers was this girl named that girl, dad. She was this t. V. Animated girl who moved to california and started her life as a musician. And so it was cool to watch her story unfold and the music she put out was actually very good and very touching. But unfortunately the team unfolded behind that her to also she is no more. Or perhaps you would say she is deceased serafin from right games. She is a league of legends champion and she goes about her life doing similar things, creating music, partnering with other major artists and getting tens to hundreds of millions of streams. Now, im just looking at suffering right now on her instagram account. So if we looking through this and im with thinking, wow what, what is she doing least that something can do that our real young model couldnt do what are the boundaries that she can cross that, that real people cant . Yes, irving can do so much. She can 1st of all live forever. I think thats one of the most most important implications to the virtue influencer spaces that sarah feen is like. Mickey mouse servian will live forever and she can influence forever and build audiences forever. So thinking about her in that way of a character 1st mindset that new mickey, she is right games is mickey and that, that is important. And so her timelessness of her is phenomenal. Also her ability to appear in multiple places at once is significant. As you know, she is an artist with strings. So what does it look like if shes live in london and live in l. A. On this, on a stage on the same night . So now from a production standpoint, audiences around the entire world can go see her on the same night and create a larger form of fandom in the real world. Also, to be honest, she can live any life. She can go to the beach as you see or go play with her count one day a so she can really go out and do anything. Its fiction. I dont see a solution is deep, deep into tech in oh, i need the touch with one thing you think i get that thats what i like. The one who would you share with people when you think take a look at this virtual influence . To be honest, the whole concept of Virtual Influencers leaves me feeling like im in an episode of black mirror. Its still quite dystopian and hard for me to grasp why someone that spent a lot of time thinking about issues like systemic injustice, systemic racism and the gender pay gap, the ethnicity paid. I would love to hear from and tell her how she feels about taking money out of the pockets of actual real life human women who could be earning this money and in a similar way, but love to hear krista 1st thoughts on the fact that there are virtual representation of black people are that brands give money to instead of black people. And i think we really need to start asking ourselves, why would you prefer to work with an image of a black person than an actual black person. When we talked about this on our podcast tag, aish, people were shocked to hear that this was a reality. And that this was something that could happen. You know, weve been talking a lot about that by black Movement Ever since black clothes matter. And there is a real needs to invest in black communities if we want to create equality, an affair, a future or so. It leaves me feeling extremely uncomfortable. List up with the 1st question to angelica. Yes. So as for Virtual Influencers, taking anything you know, or working with attention here, thats essentially, you know, what the whole point is and its not as 0 sum game. I think that sort of perspective a, something that a lot of new creators fall into, usually because they have to struggle a whole lot to get a foothold on any platform because they all have algorithms. Now that can take a lot of or putting out a lot of different kinds of content in order to get any amount of exposure at all. And i think, and i want my developer went through this personally, having been through an experience a season of being a real life influencer before working on me. He had to go through a season of, you know, really doing some self evaluation about how much effort hes investing and how little attention hes getting back. You know, because it does take a lot of work in the beginning, but you know, it, i dont think you can really see somebody whos really like, popping off, like on you tube, for example. Since, you know, thats the biggest platform, its the 2nd most visited site in the world. But you know, if seeing somebody pop off on their, it doesnt necessary. You can make a direct correlation to that and conclude that its detracting from that potential attention that could be going to anybody else. Im wondering, angelica, if you away more successful than you create a c. G. I. Virtual influence, say is every way most successful they can be cuter, smarter, more attractive than any person in real life. You just make you look gorgeous and appealing. Well, i mean, was that a question . Believe it was yes. Well, yeah, i mean influencers, Virtual Influencers, they, you know, they have, theres a marketing, theres what they call the purple cow principle. And essentially, its like you can have a herd of cows by the road and people drive by him all day and they never think about him. But if you pay one purple, everybodys going to turn their heads like what was that . And so its just about standing out, you know, for the 151015 years that weve had all this, you know, Digital Media being put online. Its all been all just flesh and blood real life people. And you know, being able to do something just that simply different. It doesnt have to be, you know, it doesnt necessarily need to be a showcase of beauty or Technical Expertise or anything like that. But just having something to stand out from all this other stuff that everybody else does. So similarly, can really help but different doesnt necessarily mean better. Sorry, i just wanted to say different doesnt mean better and different doesnt mean get it feels, it feels disingenuous, that a representation of a female form is made by a man, a lot of the time. And in the context of patriarchy and feminism and gender equality, we talk about the need to start objectifying women and the need to start dehumanizing other marginalized groups. Whether that transfer unity to face transfer or the disabled community who are often a secondary group in a word, in a world that optimizes for him what he people. So how do we feel looking at this, the lens of capitalism . Because the more money you have more power you have in this world, how do we feel that there are men trying to get more money, more money being power by creating fake women and capitalizing on that. Like, are you proud of that and jug . Are you proud to be a woman made by a man . Well thats the difference. Hearing that Something Like in the astray sion fun, you know, graphic novel. And you only difference is that ok, go and start does no, no, its fine because you arent really that the debate has been having. And if being had and understood bringing a couple of thoughts here. Blake, a valley 11 says it is not all right, whatever youve said, anjelica, whatever the true influences are doing, like i said, hes not on its the future, get used to it. So let me just bring in another thought here, and this is twee on until he explains for our audience to us about the appeal of virtue influence, established. So virtual influences are really appealing to consumers and people like you and me because theyre designed to be that way. You know, even though they kind of sad to see creatures leaving these like really fun, exciting lives, theyre still very relatable and they have kind of a new storyline. But they fall, or like sarah fain to influence and create a riot games. She has a lot of hopes and dreams like on it. And yet she still brings eyes about songwriting and our, you know, her to create. And i guess thats very relatable to people in jens, which is kind of where things are towards being a digital gen she said a little bit earlier. I love each pick up here on how much influence but you influences how can you yeah, yeah, theres been a lot of entry, interesting, strays, as far as the influence that they have goes out related back to the influence that say, a marvel or a disney slush pixar may have over their audiences and their fandoms that theyre building, they are setting out to create a fictional story lines that relate with people and improve their lot of us. And hopefully theyre representing the storylines behind the scenes with the teams that they hire. And the people they consult with to write the stories or the models they work with, etc. So thats the fundamental i believe key to telling a fictional story that is still based in reality, that still has a real and justifiable impact on that reality. So were seeing virtue influencers, teams are drawing a lot of their inspiration from those marvels of the world, right . Those organizations, those creative studios, selling these and tiredly fictional, completely made up story lines, but theyre based in reality. And now that we bring the story lines closer to the light of social media, which is the medium that humans operate on, you know, one where humans have a status, a norm that we tell human stories here. This is where humans operate and socialize. Theres a, we are obviously coming to a massive head where these fictional human storylines are connecting with the human humans. You know the truth human story lines with what you may argue are, you know, real problems that need solving. My belief is that through these fictional story lines, we can actually still solve and inspire people to, to solve those real problems. So this is a creative discussion about virtual influences. Theres also a, a martini discussion, have a look here at this chart. This is the Virtual Influencers, engagement rate, and virtue influencers are in the orange area and worldwide engagement right here. And you can see how well search influences are doing right now. And i would ask, is this, do you think why they are growing in popularity . Because as christopher said, they never age, although there is a you dont have to pay them anything and they really let me guess so many plots must be and have since marketing injury. Just if you thinking about it just as a, as a marketing tool. Its brilliant, isnt it . Yeah, it absolutely is. But we have to question, not just the fact that theyre popular, but also why brands prefer to work with. There is an incredible Instagram Channel called the influencer pay gap. And what theyre doing here is trying to promote Greater Transparency and terms of how influencers are compensated. And one of the trends that theyve really brought into the media as reported by the verge and the guardian is a racial takeout when it comes to influencers, there are some fashion brands that are paying white female influencers, thousands of dollars for a post, and then giving a black female employee, a free outfit for the same post and this is like for like audience size like for like engagement. So we can see that systemic in just as its playing out in how brands are compensating influence or how theyre making marketing decisions. How can we expect anything to change . How can we expect to challenge the systems of oppression and create a more equal future if were not having this debate . Im not trying to say that there are pros in this, but there are some serious ethical cause that we need to bring to the table and talk about. Let me bring new in to another ethical carnal showing of the ethical can we see this is tina kind of chalk and she wants to highlight the difference between knowing do you know that this person is virtual and you dont know . Is that even ethical . The key concern about the impact of Virtual Influencers isnt of the virtual. We dont actually have a relationship with most media characters. But with the influencer part, these other times are specifically designed and created to persuade us to get us to buy things, to belief things. And no one likes to feel as if theyre being manipulated people side of and to city and trustworthiness as being very important in all of their relationships. In the long term. Brands will have to be very careful in being transparent about the virtual nature of the characters that theyre creating. We will forgive someone for being fictional, but nothing fooling us. So i have to say, if you go on to angelicas, you tube channel, she tells you shes a virtual you tube or that theres no secret there and delicate youre getting lots of questions. Are you ready for them . Are looking again, says sure is one of the most entertaining and funny content creators ive ever encountered. The fact that shes virtual just adds a new dimension to the response to wiki games. Angelica thank you so much. I mean, another question for you here we go. Linda lloyd. Hi, linda. Shes wondering, are you watching your own questions . Is there a person behind you . A lot of people have been wondering not including whole threads on reddit. Is there a real person behind you said you identify this and a new blogger . Does that mean you are. That means the character you are seeing is indeed an Artificial Intelligence that exists in a world that has laurer a background, you know, different environments and so on. As for, you know, the artist behind the art though, i mean, yes, there is or is one there is impersonal. I want, i want, i feel like i want to ask you more because then is that person is the creator. Actually you rather than angelic, of being in a creation all by themselves. Because how many are actually at whole have an entire conversation on the stream which is live and organic and we dont plan what the questions are going to be. You know, why you could prep and know about it. Right now youre using good Critical Thinking and you know, this is unclear performance, but i prefer to keep the artist separate from the are just so that they are, can be taken and you know, on its own christopher, i want to go back to something or other to see what happened, its really, really important. Let me show you this. I know you already know it on disk. Going to find the 1st virtual digital super model and a machine to do this person doesnt exist, but this person is black. So going back to is it ethical to take on the mantle of real people . Real issues. So very good question comes down to the teams to the fact that this is a team in a production and how many people are involved in the creation of shooting. I know theres a camera involved, i know theres a spread of muses. There are marketing people on this team, photographers, 3 modelers, even people designing the clothing and the fashion and the fit. So throughout the whole shooting creation experience, there must be some 78. 00, people touching that experience and building that experience for fans. So in that there are 7 or 8 people that could be hired to into roles, into jobs, and whatever it may be. In this nonzero sum game, creating a new form of influence and creating new jobs for all the people on offer. So especially i would praise cameron for the muse program that he has developed where she celebrates the models that hes working with any showcases on the website and tells their stories. And theres still an overlay about their experiences working with. And ive only ever heard good things. Im diskin to show you the creator of she did, and the must man behind it because hes going to be on Instagram Live conversation a little bit later on. He can have a look in my ear, a man that took, so that is Cameron James wilson. And that really was speaking to the point that he was making earlier. And also in addition is this before, this is all michela. There mchale is an influencer. And underneath what she does, she does a lot of things in a very talented young, but you influence has tied that to lives matter that yes, taking on of issues is problematic. Not just feeling put a number of different people, often people of color, black people and not happening, that this is happening in the virtual world. I want to teach a g. Laney and jenny picks up where you left off. I was intrigued by little Mckayla Instagram character who is recognized as a model in pop singer, but shes also at last, next one in. So shes made political statements regarding immigration laws. It can be troublesome. It for actual influencers, like little mckayla use activism as a ploy for social for social engagement, especially if their creators are not people of color. Its also confusing for the audience being that these characters are exactly real. And there are racial messages. Can just see my facial projections in a time where movements like black lives matter has become equitable. When Virtual Influencers partnered with social brands, this activism can seem like a ploy for profit because im going to go back to this because i would, elsie made this point earlier. Im going to come back to it is a really important one. Lets just say, could this be Digital Black . Thats, lets just put it out there. Its a very, very pointed question. It goes back to what im describing as far as teams, creating fictional experience because this is the fictional world entering the real world. These are creative teams, creating content and diverse storylines that they want the world to see and consume and relate to really its truly fiction designed to be related to. And so when you question about the creator creating characters that are not of their ethnicity, you have to look to the teams that theyre working with to create those characters. So i believe that you need to be working with diverse teams to create diverse characters. And again, i said, ive seen it with karen hughes died. Ive seen it with little mchale esteem, extremely diverse team. If you look into brood b. R. D. Day, you can check out our website christmasy. It just make us make me happy. How diversity is as much of the team not on your not i havent looked into it as far as statistics go, i dont know their exact makeup of the team. I also know that they have, you know, they have 3 different characters, of 3 different ethnicities, different genders. And so what theyre doing is theyre creating the foundation for what is the future virtual influence or injuries any given team could have 102030 diverse characters. Yes, thank you. Christopher, thank you, angelica figure out the dancing such a deep, deep, deep conversation about something that seems quite trivial and shall i, but lots to think about. Thank you so much. Im addressing angelica christopher, let me just leave you with one more shot of he just to remind you that 20 g m t. Youre beatus in the koreans to up shooting you Cameron James wells and join me on instagram and join time in them as well. The next time, thanks so much and you really are American People have finally folk in america as i see it. One america is off balance or will become more dangerous. The world is looking and fed us with a mixture of sadness and beauty. 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