Meta – the overlord of our social networking needs – recently created AI chatbots modeled after celebrities. Among them is the Kendal Jenner-inspired Billie (described as Ride-or-die older sister), rapper-cum-weed-emperor Snoop Dogg acting as an adventure storyteller named Dungeon Master, octagon beast Israel Adesanya talking like an MMA expert, and more. There are a total of 28 such AIs at the moment, and they are available across Instagram and Facebook.
Unfortunately, creating a chatbot inspired by a real human has become menacingly easy. After all, the whole tech is based on lifting material from the internet and training AI models, often without due credits and compensation. Writers like Stephen King are legit pissed, and there are lawsuits aplenty from authors and artists.
Then there are sites like Janitor.ai and Chub.ai that let you create chatbots simulating personalities without their consent. Of course, porn stars are among the most popular targets, followed by thicc chics from video games. Adult video performer Riley Reid is among them.
But instead of protesting against uber-rich AI labs that have raked billions from the likes of Microsoft, Reid is taking the high road by founding a company named Clona.ai that launched earlier this month.
The goal? It offers a legitimate chatbot companion based on Reid. You pay $30 per month to chat with one of the world's most popular teen-wet-dream stars. Porn has been one of the biggest drivers of the internet since its early days. And if the age of AI is any indication, it is once again going to be a hidden-but-huge side of the industry with deepfakes, chatbots, and more such implementations.
It's the authentic Reid experience, down to the name of her dogs.
Reid's avatar on Clona.ai is trained on hours worth of her YouTube interviews, social media content, and bits from her porn videos to offer an authentic feel of her personality. Reid is joined by Lena The Plug, another well-known adult film performer famous for a raunchy podcast she hosts with her husband. Here's what Reid said about her latest AI chatbot venture:
"Some of them want advice. Some of them want to just talk about their day. Some of them will want to ask what kind of pizza I like. It's to make sure the AI has compassion and empathy as well as an ability to connect with people and companionship."
More stars from the industry are about to join the wave. Streamer Amouranth and pornstar-turned-game-streaming-star Adrian Chechik have also launched their own chatbots. The move sounds salacious, but it's just natural progression in the digital age. The porn industry stars have lately campaigned extensively about the discrimination they face from Big Tech, finance giants, and above all, digital pirates.
Just like OnlyFans, products like Clona.ai could offer a direct revenue stream to the likes of Reid and keep them afloat in the changing tech landscape. "If I'm not partnering up with it, then someone else is going to steal my likeness and do it without me," Reid concludes. You can read her full interview with 404 Media here.