Soon, AI companies will create and license their own virtual actors and personalities. In many ways, public figures are fighting the wrong battle, and likely a losing one. If I were a well-known celebrity, I would allow AI to use my likeness and personality freely, then focus on monetising what remains uniquely human: live appearances, fan engagement, exclusive experiences, and merchandise.
The music industry already demonstrates this shift. Most artists now earn the majority of their income from concerts, personal appearances, and merchandise such as signed prints, vinyl, and limited-edition releases, while their music itself is widely streamed, copied, or downloaded digitally. Despite years of licensing and copyright enforcement, unrestricted digital distribution ultimately became unavoidable.
AI is becoming similarly embedded in everyday society. Resisting it outright is unlikely to succeed. Instead, the creative industries need to rethink their business models, and appropriately enough, become more creative about how to capitalise on the technologies now emerging under the broad label of “AI”.
RSL Media Human Consent Standard (RSL-MEDIA)
First dropped: | Last modified: May 13, 2026