K-pop is a modern, cutting-edge music style that blends Korean and international genres in new and unusual ways. Its artists are always working on the next cool sound or eye-catching look. So where does this innovative art form go next? As it turns out , some K-pop lovers are turning to AI for the next big thing.
blend [ blÈ÷nd ] vt. & vi.¡]¨Ï¡^²V¦X
blend A with B¡@¡@±N A »P B ²V¦X
innovative [ ˈÈþnəˌvetÈþv ] a. ·s¿oªº¡A³Ð·sªº
Artificial intelligence (or AI) is, very literally , changing the face of entertainment. From online pranks to editing actors into movies, the word ¡§deepfake¡¨ has entered public awareness. A deepfake uses advanced AI to make one person look exactly like someone else in a video clip. In creating the K-pop group Eternity, however, tech company Pulse9 has taken deepfakes to a whole new level : they have formed a completely artificial girl group.
Eternity is made up of 11 unique and original computer-generated avatars, and everything, from each woman¡¦s appearance to their voice, is entirely the product of artificial intelligence. In many ways, the group¡¦s performances are the same as other low-budget girl groups who are starting out . The dance moves are pretty stiff and the voices all seem to blend together. Nothing really stands out about them.
stiff [ stÈþf ] a. »øª½ªº¡A»øµwªº
What does stand out to many critics about Eternity is the group¡¦s perceived creepy atmosphere. Some viewers feel that although the avatars look realistic , they lack hard-todefine human characteristics . A lot of this probably comes from the ¡§uncanny valley¡¨ effect, which describes the uncomfortable feeling people get around things that look almost¡Xbut not quite perfectly¡Xhuman. The effect has been known to extend to robots, wax sculptures, and digital reproductions.
realistic [ ˌrÈþəˈlÈþstÈþk ] a. ¹G¯uªº¡A®Ý®Ý¦p¥Íªº
characteristic [ ˌkærÈþktəˈrÈþstÈþk ] n. ¯S¦â¡A¯S¼x
And while Eternity is very cool, it does not yet have the capacity to compete with tried and tested human musicians. Not yet, anyway.
capacity [ kəˈpæsətÈþ ] n. ¯à¤O
compete [ kəmˈpit ] vi. Ävª§¡A¤ñÁÉ
compete with...¡@¡@»P⋯⋯Ävª§¡þÄvÁÉ
1. Which of the following statements is NOT true about the musical group Eternity?
(A) It was created by a tech company.
(B) There are 11 members in the group.
(C) Their videos are extremely competitive due to their high production quality.
(D) Every characteristic of its members was created with the aid of computer software.
(A) A person that pretends to be someone else by stealing their personal information.
(B) A movie¡¦s leading role that is altered and becomes another person.
(C) An internet trick that incorporates voices into pictures.
(D) An AI robot that resembles a character from a drama.
incorporate [ ÈþnˈkÈørpəˌret ] vt. ¨Ö¤J
incorporate A into B¡@¡@§â A ¨Ö¤J B
resemble [ rÈþˈzÈ÷mbl̩ ] »P⋯⋯Ävª§¡þÄvÁÉvt. »P⋯⋯¬Û¦ü
3. Why is the ¡§uncanny valley¡¨ effect mentioned in the fourth paragraph?
(A) Eternity is so perfect that it fools everyone who watches their video.
(B) It indicates what country the girl group is supposed to come from.
(C) The effect describes a graph of advances in artificial intelligence.
(D) The avatars in Eternity still cannot pass for humans.
4. Which of the following best describes the author¡¦s attitude towards AI groups like Eternity?