Chapter 72 AI Generation: I think their brains are AI-generated...
I apologize again for taking up your time. I hope you have a wonderful holiday.
Since Gun Bro's numerous revelations, various social media platforms have been buzzing with excitement. This kind of revelation is unprecedented, not to mention that he was previously an unknown paparazzi. This Zhou Qixue incident has made him an overnight sensation.
At this moment, his Weibo post is flooded with comments from passersby who came from all over to watch the drama unfold, as well as many fans who are asking him if he has any other juicy gossip to reveal. It's incredibly lively.
Three hours after the exposé was posted, Zhou Qixue's studio remained completely silent. Xiao He thought they were probably just going to play dead and let it go. Just as she was wondering whether she should add fuel to the fire, the studio's long-dormant activity suddenly resurfaced.
It's actually a clarification announcement!!
Xiao He almost thought she was seeing things. The paparazzi released such solid evidence, with almost every picture clearly showing Zhou Qixue's face in high definition. How could they still clarify this?
Curious, she clicked in. The clarification announcement had been posted five minutes earlier, before the casual observers could even react. The comments section was filled with fans who had been waiting for a long time. Many of them were already hesitant, and with neither the person in question nor any of the major fans saying anything, it was a time of great anxiety.
Although numerous photos have been released as evidence, the overly devoted fans are like that; they've invested so much in their idol worship, and it's really difficult for them to admit that their idol worship was a mistake. Therefore, only a small portion of fans chose to unfollow immediately after the exposé, while the majority chose to wait for the official response—whether the official stance is confirmation or denial. More than an apology, what they really need is reassurance.
Finally, Zhou Qixue's fans received the long-awaited clarification announcement. However, there was no strong counter-evidence, no statement with an official seal, and even the lawyer's letter was only "being drafted." The person who spoke out was only a staff member, not Zhou Qixue himself.
However, upon seeing the statement, they felt reassured, and their morale was greatly stabilized. The fans in the comments section all complained to the studio about how difficult the past few hours had been, how badly Zhou Qixue had been slandered, and urged the company to quickly launch a formal counterattack.
[1: Finally alive! I knew my baby was innocent. Your reaction speed is really slow. Do you know how we spent these past few hours? Hurry up and report us!]
[2: As long as it's confirmed to be fake news, that's fine. Since you've decided to fight back, then stand up for yourself. The other party has practically slapped you in the face; can you really swallow this insult? I don't know where these shady paparazzi came from; they used AI to generate a few pictures and dared to call it solid evidence. I'll sue @ZhouQixueStudio.]
【3: Komuro, you're here [crying][crying] Do you know that your boss is being bullied to death by bad guys? A bunch of haters are celebrating over a few AI pictures. I can only say that Xiao Zhou has really blocked a lot of people's way, even able to fabricate such disgusting rumors】
[4: Is Xiao Zhou alright? Has he been affected? It's best if the studio doesn't let him go online or see these disgusting things. We'll handle it. These paparazzi are becoming more and more lawless. They dare to make up rumors of this level and even create their own pictures. If this isn't handled properly, who knows how many more celebrities in the industry will suffer.]
[5: I always say Zhou's fans are magnanimous. Outsiders want to trample Zhou into the mud, but you're here worrying about whether this paparazzi's dirty tricks will affect more innocent artists. You fans are truly kind-hearted and beautiful like your idol. I'm so sad.]
[6: I felt something was off about those pictures!!! They made me feel really uncomfortable. They really are cancer-causing images! Komuro, sue them severely! Since they dared to spread such disgusting rumors, they must pay the price!! Sue that paparazzi until they're bankrupt!!]
Xiao He quickly browsed through the comments section and was utterly astonished. Such a flawed "clarification statement" actually had quite a few fans who believed it, treating it like a sacred decree and believing everything they were told.
No wonder it's said that the fans of celebrities whose careers have collapsed all end up the same way—they're all brainless and lack the ability to make judgments.
Unable to provide compelling evidence, the studio implied in its statement that the photos posted by the paparazzi were fake and AI-generated. It must be said, coming up with such a novel angle for whitewashing is quite creative, and the fans actually believed it.
Since AI became popular, it has caused quite a stir in various circles, because the speed at which AI generates content is far beyond what humans can do. Freelancers engaged in creative work can hardly help but worry about being replaced by AI in the future.
Moreover, the AI-generated material library is precisely derived from the works of these creators, which are then broken down and reassembled, seriously infringing upon the rights of the creators.
Because AI works are the result of a mixture of countless original works, most of the things they generate are uncomfortable. Whether it is images or text, AI-generated images tend to be overly saturated, with every detail filled in, unlike human-created works which have a sense of depth and balance. Looking at them for a long time can be uncomfortable. As for text, it goes without saying that the text generated for slightly complex topics often has a sense of disordered sentence structure. Therefore, so far, AI works are still quite easy to identify.
Opinions on it are also very mixed.
Some people who don't understand AI might find AI images interesting and attractive, and use them without a second thought. But those who do understand AI will find them unpleasant to look at. In most creative fields and areas involving personal privacy, AI is generally universally condemned.
This is probably why Zhou Qixue's studio chose to clarify the leaked photos from this angle.
There are only two ways to clarify this picture: either the picture is fake, or the person in the picture is fake. The facial features of Zhou Qixue in the leaked picture are too clear to deny that it's him, so the second option is impossible, leaving only the first.
Zhou Qixue's agent, Xu Yong, had previously contacted the paparazzi "Gun Brother" to ask him to clarify that the person in the photo was not Zhou Qixue or that the photo was not real, but unfortunately, he was refused.
However, the studio had to clarify the situation, otherwise it would be tantamount to admitting to the photo. Xu Yong only assigned the task without giving the employees any suggestions. The employees only knew that they had to issue a clarification, but the evidence was so strong that there was no way to clarify it. So, after a group of miserable overtime workers got together and racked their brains, they finally came up with this "AI clarification method".
AI technology is not mature enough yet. Determining whether an image is AI-generated mostly relies on the experience of people familiar with AI. Zhou Qixue Studio's path can be considered a risky move, placing all its hopes on the fact that "online netizens won't nitpick."
Xiao He was utterly amazed and almost applauded Zhou Qixue's studio.
This level of shamelessness is truly comparable to Zhou Qixue himself.
She was originally debating whether to share the evidence she had just compiled to help, but after seeing Zhou Qixue's studio's outrageous actions, she realized she had no choice but to share it.
If Zhou Qixue were to get away with such an outrageous method, it would be a great disgrace.
However, she wasn't in a hurry and decided to see how the paparazzi reacted first. After being refuted by Zhou Qixue's studio with such an absurd excuse, any paparazzi who still had some material on hand would be unable to resist releasing it.
Xiaohe remembered that among the paparazzi's revelations, one was a video. If the images were AI-generated, could the video be too? She had seen that video; the background was very rich, and the characters' movements were numerous. If it was AI-generated, the technical difficulty would be too high. If it was AI face-swapping, the original poster would have come out to claim it long ago. Why wait for Zhou Qixue's studio to accuse it of being fake?
She refreshed the comment section again, and the top comments were still mostly from fans, all of them arrogantly telling the studio to sue the paparazzi and haters, as if they wanted the studio to avenge the humiliation they had suffered from being mocked by rivals and haters.
However, there were also onlookers who came to watch the drama. After all, only a minority of people follow the studio's account. The statement had only been released for a short time, and the trending topics had not yet risen. There weren't many onlookers, so the comments and likes weren't that high either.
The comments from passersby were much more normal. They weren't led by the studio and believed everything they were told. It's true that AI can generate such evidence, but it's extremely difficult. Anyone with a little knowledge can tell at a glance whether it's AI or not. If it's fabricated by paparazzi using AI, they'll definitely win a lawsuit.
The paparazzi made such a big fuss, they certainly weren't trying to get themselves arrested, so why would they use AI to generate it?
[1: So the people in the studio are still alive. I thought they were just going to keep hiding and do nothing to get through this. After all, once you've been exposed to this extent, there's no way to clear your name. I didn't expect your studio to be so innovative. You really know how to find a unique way. You even brought up AI generation. Where did this genius come from? You can't blame people, so you blame the AI. Even the AI would feel wronged.]
[2: I really rubbed my eyes, I almost thought I was seeing things, AI??? Are you alright? Is this the PR method your studio has come up with after all this time? Did you think AI couldn't defend itself, so you're just putting all the blame on AI?]
[3: Seeing the fans in the comments section so eager to kiss it is really pathetic. They really believe whatever their brother says. I mean, in such a large group of you, is there not a single person who understands AI? Do you really need to identify AI images? Can't you tell just by looking at them?]
[4: ? If those photos posted by the paparazzi were AI-generated, then there would be no photos taken by humans in the world. They even used depth of field and blurred backgrounds for your brother, and you keep calling it AI. I feel wronged.]
[5: No, if it were just an image, you could say it's AI, but there's also a video, dude. AI technology isn't that mature yet, is it? Do you think I've never seen AI videos? Or are you saying this video is an AI face swap? Then why hasn't the original owner come forward to claim it?]
[6: I was so looking forward to seeing how they would clarify things, and this is what happened... It feels like a desperate clown struggling in his death throes. Instead of being stubborn, he should have just honestly admitted his mistake. At least he could have gained some goodwill by being frank, since his fans would have forgiven him no matter what.]
As time passed, more and more casual viewers joined the comments section, and the number of likes on the comments gradually surpassed those of the fans who were trying to control the narrative. This crowded out the top of the studio's clarification Weibo post, making it clear to casual viewers who clicked in because of the trending topic what kind of drama Zhou Qixue's studio was up to this time.
However, it must be said that Zhou Qixue's studio made an interesting move. AI is not exactly a well-known technology, and many casual observers outside the industry will inevitably be confused by this. The studio then raised the issue to "personal privacy and personal safety," trying to evoke sympathy from ordinary netizens. As long as some netizens feel that "if it really is AI, then Zhou Qixue is really unlucky," the studio's delay will be considered a victory.
Not to mention that Zhou Qixue's fans, who are currently in a period of suspected scandal, are at the peak of their fighting spirit. Before, without official statements, they were anxious and lacked confidence in their words, and could only accept being ridiculed. Now, with official support, although there is no evidence yet, the official attitude tells them that this matter will be investigated and clarified, so they have the confidence to go out and fight.
Under the indiscriminate attacks from Zhou Qixue's fans, this mess has been stirred up even more. The paparazzi who was accused by Zhou Qixue's studio of using AI to maliciously fabricate evidence for the exposé has disappeared without a trace, and there has been no response even an hour after the statement was released.
There was neither an apology as Zhou Qixue's studio had claimed, nor any counterattack or clarification. The two sides remained strangely silent, leaving onlookers caught in the middle, feeling extremely uncomfortable.
Along the way, many people familiar with AI came out to explain, giving examples of what kind of images are generated by AI, what common characteristics AI images have, and how strict the requirements are for AI videos. The paparazzi, Gun Brother, revealed that the images released did not conform to the characteristics of AI stitching and were taken by humans. The video was even more impossible because even the background was moving, smooth and logically natural, and it was 100% taken by humans.
However, Zhou Qixue's fans are very good at arguing. Even though people have presented evidence to them, as long as the studio says it's fake and AI-generated, the public won't listen no matter how much they try to explain. They believe that these leaked pictures are fake, and the paparazzi don't have any real evidence; they just fabricated them to grab attention.
Zhou Qixue is an unlucky guy. He's still stirring up trouble and doesn't believe that those who are clarifying things are all rival fans or haters. They think Zhou Qixue's rise to fame is blocking their own path, so they can't wait to bring him down.
The best way to trivialize any serious issue is to distort it into a fan war. As long as it can be distorted to this level, the root of all problems can be explained by "they are jealous that my idol is too popular and think that my idol is in their way".
As for the problem itself, and whether the evidence presented is genuine, no one cares anymore.
Xiao He glanced at the battlefield, then silently went back to organizing the melon strips in her hands. The two versions she had prepared before were not perfect enough. At the time, she hadn't recognized that the "sister-in-law" was actually a man, and had referred to her as his girlfriend throughout the entire article. Now she had to change everything. Moreover, she didn't know that Zhou Qixue had dated more than one person at the time, and her wording was relatively restrained. Now that she knew he was playing such a game, her wording had to be as sharp as possible.
Those fans are still being stubborn. Although she believes the paparazzi will definitely fight back and won't let them spread rumors, she is also worried that Zhou Qixue Studio might have made a deal with the paparazzi by choosing this tactic.
This tactic may seem outrageous, but if it involves bribing the paparazzi, then the logic makes perfect sense. After all, the paparazzi's photos are too convincing to deny, and attributing it to AI generation is a plausible excuse.
The paparazzi have remained silent since the studio issued a clarification statement, neither responding nor retaliating. This has emboldened Zhou Qixue's fans, who believe he is guilty.
If the paparazzi still had any evidence, they would definitely refute it, but he hasn't. It's highly likely that he has been bribed by Zhou Qixue's side to keep quiet, and the two sides have come up with this way of clarifying the situation.
First, Zhou Qixue's studio should issue a statement, while the paparazzi remain silent, allowing netizens to argue. Once the hype has died down, the paparazzi can then come out and admit that what they just posted was false. At the same time, Zhou Qixue's studio can issue a second statement, and the paparazzi can then cooperate by clarifying and apologizing. In that case, the matter might just be over, and Zhou Qixue could even gain some fans.
This is something Xiaohe doesn't want to see. She knows better than anyone that every post the paparazzi make is true, because she has other pictures from different angles, but she didn't have time to post them. She stopped following this star last night and doesn't want to see Zhou Qixue, this hypocritical man, continue to make money in the entertainment industry.
As for helping more fans wake up and escape this misery, she hadn't really thought about it. Everyone has their own destiny. If they really didn't want to follow anymore, they would choose to unfollow the fans the moment they saw the exposé, instead of still clinging to hope even when they saw solid evidence, refusing to listen to or believe any amount of evidence released by others, and eagerly believing that what the person in question said was true as soon as they made a few casual explanations.
There's no point in trying to save these clueless people. They can pretend to be blind even when the facts are right in front of them, which only shows that they already had the answer in their minds from the beginning. If what you're saying isn't what they want to hear, they won't admit it. They only want to hear the person in question say what they most want to hear. Collapsed celebrities and their fans are always going in opposite directions. Xiaohe can only respect, offer blessings, and laugh.
I thought I'd see this incredibly hypocritical scumbag fall today, but the paparazzi suddenly seemed to have switched sides. With unreliable teammates, Xiao He has to step up on her own. If she misses this opportunity, who knows when she'll get another chance? She can't let Zhou Qixue get through this. He's only just become famous. If he becomes a top star, then whatever his fans say will be law, and no one else will have a say in it.
Then it will be like "a light boat has already passed ten thousand mountains", "they all don't think highly of you, but you are the most promising", "I have never slandered Zhou Qixue, so I will live his life in the next life".
The thought of this possibility almost made Xiaohe vomit. She had witnessed firsthand the ability of fans of celebrities who had caused scandals to turn black into white, and she didn't want to witness it again.
Xiaohe quickly turned on the computer and reorganized the melon strips, her fingers almost burning with heat. About half an hour later, she finally finished the image.
Before deciding to publish, she hesitated for a moment, wondering whether she should inform her senior, since all the pictures in the post came from her. However, she was afraid that her senior had already been brainwashed by Zhou Qixue's studio's statement, so she decided to ask indirectly instead of directly stating the reason.
[Xiao Qi loves learning: Senior, are you there?]
The other party replied instantly.
[Kissing Senior: Yes, what's up?]
[Xiao Qi loves learning: Did you see the statement the studio just released...? What do you think of it?]
This time, the other party didn't reply immediately. It took about thirty seconds before they sent a message. Xiaohe's heart pounded as she watched "The other party is typing..." pop up on the chat box every now and then.
[Kissing Senior: Don't tell me you think what the studio said is true]
[Kissing Senior: You really believe those lies? You think those images are AI-generated?]
[Kissing Senior: If you get brainwashed too, delete each other immediately. I can't stand idiots.]
Seeing the other party's barrage of insults, even resorting to profanity at the end, Xiaohe felt relieved.
Thankfully, it was still her familiar senior, so she hadn't been brainwashed.
[Xiao Qi loves learning: No, no, how could I possibly believe that?]
[Xiao Qi loves to learn: I've seen so many pictures here, and I know the truth of the matter, so how could I possibly believe that clarification?]
[Xiao Qi loves to learn: I'm just afraid you'll believe it...]
[Kissing Senior: [smile][smile][smile]]
[Kissing Senior: Do I look like an idiot?]
[Kissing Senior: I can't stand it. You can say I have bad taste, but you can't treat me like an idiot.]
[Kissing Senior: How could I possibly believe that kind of statement?? It looks like it was written by an intern with their feet, and it's even AI-generated. I think their brains are practically AI-generated. It's not like we can't verify it now. Are they all brain-dead and dare to come up with such a reason?]
[Kissing Senior: You still think I'd believe that? I really feel insulted. Being mocked for collapsing my house didn't make me this angry [smile]]
Xiaohe was amused and quickly apologized to the other person, then said...
[Xiao Qi loves to learn: I'm thinking of continuing to post the gossip I prepared before. It seems that the paparazzi has been silent. Could he have been bribed? I don't want to see Zhou Qixue get away with this. What right does he have?]
[Kissing Senior: The paparazzi wasn't bribed. He released a new one, didn't you see it?]
[Kissing Senior: But you can post it anyway, I support you adding fuel to the fire [thumbs up][rose]]
The paparazzi have released something new?
Xiao He was stunned for a moment, then quickly switched to Weibo.
Author's note: Cancer image = AI image
Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 2024-07-30 23:58:22 and 2024-07-31 23:55:36!
Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: Little Pear Baby (40 bottles); Orange Not Two (3 bottles);
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
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