A 23-year-old resident of the United Kingdom, whose name has been changed to Lucy for privacy reasons, agreed to collaborate with an artificial intelligence company. For £1,500, she signed a contract granting the startup the perpetual right to make full use of her likeness. The young woman now admits that she did not fully realize the scope and irreversible consequences of her decision. The Daily Star reports this.
The proposal came out of the blue—via an Instagram message. A representative from an unknown company approached her with a proposal to serve as the visual basis for a digital model that their AI was to create. According to Lucy, she was drawn not only by the financial aspect—£1,500 seemed like a good deal—but also by the futuristic project itself, since she had been inspired by similar examples among celebrities, such as Kendall Jenner, who had already created her own digital avatar.
“I got carried away by the idea without really delving into the legal details. No one explained to me that this would completely change my future prospects,” the young woman admits.
The contract required the provision of a series of video recordings to train the AI model. But the main point is that the agreement effectively deprived Lucy of the ability to use her own likeness in the digital space on her own. She has lost the right to advertise brands or create her own digital content if her likeness is already featured in the company’s products. Now, any public image of her that resembles the image used by the AI may violate the terms of the contract she signed.
This story caught the attention of documentary filmmaker Sam Tullen, who devoted part of his new film to it. The documentary explores how the rapid growth of commercial biometric applications in AI is changing attitudes toward the individual in the digital age.
“I came across a website where users can enter any text and, in return, receive a video of a person reading it aloud. These weren’t fictional characters, but real faces—someone’s actual faces. And that’s what shocked me. The world needs to know what’s behind these technologies,” Tullen said.
The film raises some deeper questions: How carelessly do people handle their digital identities? Do they realize that in their pursuit of money, they might lose control over who they are online?
Lucy, however, admits that if she had the chance to turn back time, she would definitely consult a lawyer.
“This is a lesson. A very costly one, but an important one. I hope my story will serve as a warning to others,” she concluded.