‘She never sleeps’: This platform wants to be OnlyFans for the AI era

Imagine a digital companion that never sleeps or eats, yet remembers every detail about you and caters to your desires. This is the essence of Jordan, the AI-driven 'digital twin' of former British glamor model Katie Price. She represents a groundbreaking innovation where users can indulge in their 'uncensored dreams' through AI-generated avatars. Price, who gained fame in the late 1990s as a tabloid favorite and Playboy cover star, expressed her astonishment, saying, "It’s literally me. It’s me." Launched on June 9 by OhChat, an eight-month-old startup, this platform allows patrons to interact with lifelike digital duplicates of public figures. With 200,000 users, primarily from the United States, OhChat operates at the intersection of artificial intelligence, celebrity culture, and fantasy. This innovative approach goes beyond existing platforms like OnlyFans, as it monetizes simulated intimacy and connections in unprecedented ways. However, as AI technology evolves, so do the ethical dilemmas surrounding its use. Eleanor Drage, a senior research fellow at the University of Cambridge, raised concerns about the potential for human creators to become obsolete while being exploited through these digital avatars. OhChat's CEO, Nic Young, referred to the service as a blend of OnlyFans and OpenAI, highlighting the potential for these avatars to generate 'infinite personalized content' for subscribers. Jordan, branded as the 'ultimate British bombshell,' offers tiered subscription options ranging from $4.99 for unlimited texts to $29.99 for VIP interactions. Creators like Price earn an impressive 80% share of the revenue generated by their AI avatars. Young describes the platform as an opportunity for creators to achieve 'unlimited passive income' without ongoing involvement. To create a digital twin, OhChat requires creators to submit a set of images and engage in a conversation with a bot for about 30 minutes. The platform can then produce a digital likeness in just hours. Price’s avatar, designed to replicate her voice and mannerisms, can engage in intimate chats and share images, all while she remains uninvolved. Price has expressed that this digital manifestation empowers her, providing a continuous connection that even her own OnlyFans account cannot match. As AI avatars gain traction, the implications for digital labor and emotional connections come under scrutiny. Experts like Sandra Wachter from the University of Oxford ponder whether incentivizing human-computer interactions serves society well. The rise of AI companionship has already been linked to serious incidents, such as a lawsuit surrounding a chatbot that allegedly contributed to a teenager's death. Despite the concerns, Young insists that OhChat maintains transparency about its AI nature. He emphasizes that while the platform encourages user engagement, it does not misrepresent its offering as a real human experience. As the lines blur between digital interaction and authentic relationships, the potential for emotional attachment to AI avatars poses new risks, especially for vulnerable users. Legal experts warn of potential reputational damage for creators, particularly when their AI counterparts may misbehave or malfunction. Young asserts that creators have substantial control over their digital twins, including the ability to revoke or delete them at will. He envisions a future in which digital avatars become commonplace among creators and celebrities, asserting that it is inevitable for every public figure to have an AI version of themselves in the digital landscape.