10 finalists chosen in first AI influencer beauty pageant

The competitors don't actually exist in the real world. They are found on social media, mostly Instagram, where they appear as photorealistic images of beautiful young women created through proprietary and off-the-shelf AI technologies, NPR reported.

All 10 "Miss AI" finalists fall under stereotypical beauty standards for women: youthful, healthy, thin, and stunning. FanVue, the UK-based company behind the pageant, will award the winner and her creator a $5,000 cash prize, while the top three will be given mentorship and public relations perks.

While beauty pageant contestants have always been judged by their outside appearance, pageants have evolved in recent years to focus on inner beauty as well, such as community involvement, careers, and talent. Miss AI plans to judge on the same factors.

Sally-Ann Fawcett, a Miss AI judge and beauty pageant historian, told NPR, "Because they are all beautiful, I want somebody that I would be proud to say is an AI ambassador and role model giving out brilliant and inspiring messages, rather than just saying, 'Hello, I'm really hot!'"

Miss AI contestants are seen talking and moving around in their video clips, sharing thoughts about world matters, news about their "personal lives," and support for social causes.

Romania's AI contestant, Aiyana Rainbow, is referred to as an LGBTQ champion, and the French AI contestant, Anne Kerdi, serves as a brand ambassador for the ocean conservation organization Océanopolis Acts.

Miss AI Turkey, Seren Ay, was created a few months ago to be utilized as a brand ambassador for an e-commerce jewelry company. Mohammad Talha Saray, who owns the business, said his business has grown tenfold since Ay came on board. The red-headed green-eyed AI model garners millions of views on all her videos.

"With the AI, there's no limit," Saray told NPR. "You can just do whatever you want. Like, if you want to just do something on the moon or on the sun, whatever you want, you can just do it."

"Our goal for Seren Ay is to position her as a globally recognized and beloved digital influencer," said Saray. "Winning the Miss AI competition will be a significant step toward achieving these goals, allowing us to reach a wider audience and seize more collaboration opportunities."