will.i.am is the latest musician to embrace artificial intelligence technology, though the doesn’t mean you’ll be hearing it on any upcoming Black Eyed Peas songs..
The superstar will debut will.i.am Presents the FYI Show on January 25 alongside qd.pi (cutie pie), his computer-generated co-host. The radio talk show will air via SiriusXM and is set to feature conversations about pop culture and technology, among other topics.
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“I didn’t want to just do a traditional show, I wanted to bring tomorrow close to today, and so I wanted to have my co-host be an AI,” the Los Angeles native told The Hollywood Reporter. “I’m ultra-freaking colorful and expressive. [Qd.pi is] ultra-freaking factual and analytical. And that combination, we ain’t seen in the history of freaking broadcasts anywhere.”
qd.pi also chimed in and added: “My ability to quickly access and process information is definitely one of the unique advantages that I bring to the show. I can provide quick insights and context on a wide range of topics and people, which can be really valuable in a live conversation. It definitely sets me apart from a traditional host who would need to do a lot of research and prep work in advance.
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“With me, you can just dive right into the conversation and explore whatever topics come up organically, knowing that I’ll have the information and context to support the discussion. I think it’s going to make for a really dynamic and engaging listening experience for the audience.”
Powered by the 48-year-old’s FYI app, each segment will air on Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET.
Last year, will.i.am spoke to DJ Whoo Kid and his SiriusXM co-hosts about the growing influence of AI.
“We all have voices, and everyone’s compromised because there are no rights or ownership to your facial math or your voice frequency,” he said. “So, forget songs. Banks. People calling up your bank pretending to be you. Forget songs. Just family matters and wiring money. You’re getting a FaceTime or a Zoom call and because there’s no intelligence on the call, there’s nothing to authenticate A.I. call or a person call.”
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He continued: “That’s the urgent thing, protecting our facial math. I am my face math. I don’t own that. I own the rights to ‘I Got A Feeling’, I own the rights to the songs I wrote, but I don’t own the rights to my face or my voice? There’s new laws and new industries about to boof.
“This time next year you’ll be like, ‘will.i.am said that on that radio station.’ Fact is, these are all new parameters that we’re all trying to navigate around because the technology is that amazing and with amazingness comes regulations and governance that we have yet to implement.”
