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Image courtesy of YouTube and Microsoft.
What do you get when you mix the genius of Leonardo Da Vinci with Microsoft’s new artificial intelligence tool? You get a rapping Mona Lisa, believe it or not! Yes, you read that right; this mysterious lady has been brushing up on her rap skills with help from VASA-1. Let me explain what is going on …
What Is VASA-1?
Microsoft has revealed its new AI technology, VASA-1. This technology can combine a still image with an audio clip and then inject control signals to create lifelike videos. These control signals mimic natural facial and head movements and convincing lip-syncing. The result is photorealistic portraits and videos.
The tech giant released a clip of Mona Lisa rapping to demonstrate its new technology. Anne Hathaway originally wrote her “Paparazzi” rap for the Conan O’Brien talk show in 2011. Combining this audio clip with the world’s most famous smile, Microsoft’s new tech has gone viral. Watch the bizarre but intriguing video of rapping Mona Lisa below.
Reactions To Rapping Mona Lisa
In true fashion, the internet has reacted strongly, from humor to horror, with few reactions in between. One post on X (formerly Twitter) received over seven million views within days. Let’s look at a few responses from people around the globe.
Oh man. If only Da Vinci could witness this.
– @DreamBits_, X (Twitter) 04/18/24
This is wild, freaky, and creepy all at once.
– @artofnikita, X (Twitter) 04/18/24
The first clip had me rolling on floor laughing.
– @vensykrishna, X (Twitter) 04/18/24
Why Has Microsoft Created VASA-1?
There’s no doubt about it, artificial technology is a touchy subject, and no matter where you sit on the AI fence, it does have benefits. Microsoft claims its technology “holds the promise of enriching digital communication, increasing accessibility for those with communication impairments, transforming education methods, and providing therapeutic support and social interaction in healthcare.”
Microsoft claims that it has not created content that can be used to mislead or deceive. However, they recognize that this technology could be used to impersonate humans and cause a wave of disinformation. As with any AI image generator, there are concerns that VASA-1 has the potential for misuse. Not only for spreading disinformation on a larger scale, but also on a regular level by making it easier to create deepfakes, for example.
For this reason, Microsoft is not releasing the technology, an online demo, or any other related offerings. At least not until it can be certain that it will be used responsibly and with proper regulations.
How Good Is VASA-1?
Once you’ve overcome the shock of Mona Lisa rapping, there are hints that this video is machine-generated. These giveaways include infrequent blinking, unusual eyebrow motions, and juddering lip movements. But if you watch some of the examples on Microsoft’s research page, you can see for yourself just how convincing this technology already is.
Microsoft and other experts believe it significantly outperforms other similar AI tools. It’s a huge leap from OpenAI’s Sora. VASA-1 can handle singing audios, paintings, cartoons, and non-English speech, which has never happened before.
So, would the real Mona Lisa please stand up? I hope not. That really would be a step too far.
Our AI Technology Product Recommendations
There is a fear that AI will progress to the point where machine intelligence surpasses human intelligence and takes control of the world. Thankfully, that has not yet happened. Until then, check out how AI can benefit you and your daily lifestyle. We have a guide to the best AI security cameras, or if you’re feeling brave, the best home robots.
What do you think about Mona Lisa’s rapping skills? Do you think it’s cool or creepy? Are you worried or impressed by this latest development in AI technology? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.
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As an ex-police Officer, Emma is naturally curious and loves to know and share the latest trending news with her readers. Although traumatized by the film I-Robot as a kid, she likes to keep tabs on the latest AI technological advances. Emma enjoys going on adventures with her toddler and two rescue dogs when she is not writing and sharing her stories. Emma works with a dedicated team to bring the most accurate and up-to-date information to her readers.
