AI Stan Lee Hologram Greets Fans at L.A. Comic Con
An artificial intelligence hologram of Marvel comic book superhero creator Stan Lee debuted at L.A. Comic Con, allowing fans to interact with the late legend. Lee, who died in 2018 at 95, appeared in holographic form, described as wearing a green sweater and tan pants against a bright blue screen.
The hologram met fans of his characters, including Spider-Man, Hulk, Iron Man, and Thor, in an enclosed booth at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Chris DeMoulin, chief executive of Comikaze Entertainment, which operates L.A. Comic Con, stated the initiative aims to extend Lee’s legacy.
Mr. DeMoulin conceived the idea about six months prior, envisioning an avatar of Lee as an “entry point for fans, old and new, into the Marvel universe”. This project was a collaboration between Proto Hologram and Hyperreal.
Proto Hologram, a company known for its holographic technology used in malls to promote films such as “The Conjuring” and “A Minecraft Movie,” partnered with Hyperreal, an artificial intelligence firm specialising in realistic digital humans. The hologram was trained using Lee’s numerous appearances on red carpets and at fan conventions.
George Johnson of Mammoth Vision explained that technological guardrails were implemented to ensure the avatar’s authenticity. “This avatar will never say something that Stan didn’t say,” Mr. DeMoulin added, “It will never have a point of view about Marvel or the stories or Stan’s role in them that hasn’t come directly from something Stan has said.”
Johnson further elaborated, saying, “We take Stan Lee’s words and import them into the model and then we put rails on the side of it, so he doesn’t go off and talk about things that Stan wouldn’t have said.” Fans who never met Lee in person might recognise him from his cameo appearances in every live-action Marvel movie during his lifetime.
During a demonstration on Friday, the holographic Lee discussed his affection for fan conventions. “My favorite thing about being at a comic convention is getting to meet all the amazing fans and hearing their stories about how Marvel has impacted their lives,” Lee stated in the late actor's voice.
However, not everyone welcomed Lee’s posthumous appearance at the convention. Some commenters on Reddit voiced criticism regarding the Stan Lee Experience. One commenter, RGCBlade, wrote, “Even in death, they won’t let the guy rest. It’s all pretty dystopian.”
An AI hologram of Marvel creator Stan Lee debuted at L.A. Comic Con.
The hologram allows fans to interact with Lee, who died in 2018 at 95, at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
Comikaze Entertainment, Proto Hologram, Hyperreal, and Mammoth Vision collaborated on the project.
Source: REUTERS
