Exclusive:
It’s something we look at every single day without much thought but at least it’s yours to do with as you please. But for one girl, this isn’t the case. Her face is no longer her own.
Lucy was like any other 23-year-old, but one evening in September last year, her world changed after receiving a simple direct message via her Instagram account.
The message was from an AI start up who Lucy had never heard of but they were offering her an opportunity to sell the rights to her face, which they would use to create an AI-generated model.
As random as this was, she had already seen celebrities like Kendall Jenner with their own AI avatars and found the idea intriguing. With the promise of payment, too, she was eager to sign up.
But while it appealed to her because it seemed like “an easy way to make money”, she soon realised that what she had signed up for was “a very different thing.”
Soon, she sold her likeness to an AI company, and what seemed like a quick payday locked her into a binding contract, leaving her with little control over how her face was used in paid advertisements for the rest of her life.
Speaking exclusively to the Mirror, Lucy said: “Get advice and think about your future. I really regret rushing my decision and should have sought legal advice before signing that contract or even just discussed it with my parents at least. I also never thought about the long term, the only thing I cared about at the time was the payout.”
As part of the deal, Lucy had to submit multiple video recordings to train her AI model, a process shown in the documentary, which will be shown tonight on YouTube. She also signed a lengthy, complex contract — one she now admits she struggled to understand.
The 20-minute documentary The AI Face Trade, produced by documentary filmmaker and producer Sam Tullen and presented by Tegan Marlow, reveals how AI-generated models are rapidly replacing real human content creators, particularly within the booming user-generated content (UGC) industry.
The appeal? Brands are able to pay for ultra-realistic AI creators at a fraction of the cost of using real human creators.
Lucy’s AI horror happened prior to news this week that the government is looking to change the law to favour big tech platforms so they can use British creative content to power their AI models without asking permission or offering payment. The overhaul of the UK’s copyright law could put too much power in the hands of technology firms.
Looking back, Lucy warns others to think carefully before making the same decision. “I thought it was a quick way to make some money, and it was, but I massively regret it. That £1,500 disappeared fast. I invested a lot of it into my freelance makeup business, which is doing well now, so that’s a silver lining.”
Producer Sam sees Lucy’s story as a stark warning. “Lucy’s case is just the tip of the iceberg. AI is already transforming so many industries around the world at an unprecedented rate, and now some people are willingly handing over their faces without fully understanding the long-term consequences.
“I’ve always been fascinated by the ways AI is reshaping the world. When I first learned about Lucy’s story, I realised this wasn’t some distant, futuristic concept. It’s happening now, and it’s happening fast, and I really wanted to bring awareness to that.”
He admitted that strict rules around Lucy’s face meant that even filming the documentary was difficult. “One of the biggest challenges was ensuring Lucy’s identity was protected. Lucy’s contract is incredibly restrictive, so we had to take extensive measures to safeguard her anonymity while still being able to give her the platform to share her story in a meaningful way.”
He added: “With AI advancements making it nearly impossible to distinguish between real and artificial faces, Lucy’s experience raises urgent ethical questions like should these AI companies be allowed to own someone’s likeness indefinitely, and what legal protections exist in an industry that’s evolving faster than the law can keep up with?
“I hope this documentary makes people question the true cost of convenience when it comes to AI. We live in a world where AI is constantly sold to us as something that makes life easier, but at what point does that convenience come at the expense of real people?”
As AI technology advances at an unprecedented rate, this film raises urgent ethical and legal questions about digital identity and ownership and without ownership of her own face, what does the future look like for Lucy?
“Fortunately I can make videos and still post online, but if I ever grew my following to a substantial level I wouldn’t ever be able to take on or accept brand deals.
“My contract basically says that if brands want to use my face to promote their products, they need to use my AI model. I am still pursuing my makeup business currently and it’s thankfully doing really well so I’ll be continuing with that for now.”
The programme will be available to watch on the @docodocumentaries YouTube channel tonight [28 February] from 6pm.