Metaphysic partners with CAA to develop generative AI for creative artists

Metaphysic announced today it partnered with entertainment and sports agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA) to develop generative AI tools and services for global talent.

Through this partnership, Metaphysic and CAA will work together to create deals for artists using AI across film, television, and entertainment.

Metaphysic is in the “deep fake” business, where it creates artificial versions of celebrities and others using AI techniques. Metaphysic is aiming its synthetic media to connect influencers and their audiences in novel ways — including via deep fake videos — that are hyper-realistic, ethically created and uniquely compelling.

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Metaphysic made history in 2022 on “America’s Got Talent,” introducing hyperreal generative AI content to a national television audience. The team used AI to create photorealistic avatars of the king of rock and roll, Elvis Presley, that delivered musical performances on stage that looked perfectly real.

The performances captured the world’s attention, along with leaders in the entertainment industry, including CAA and Los Angeles-based film and television studio Miramax.

“Metaphysic are industry leaders in using generative AI and machine learning to create photorealistic Hollywood-quality content, combined with their ethics-first approach and thought leadership they unlock an incredible opportunity for the entertainment industry and beyond,” said Joanna Popper, chief metaverse officer at CAA, in a statement. “Artificial intelligence will have a transformative impact on content creation and intellectual property. CAA has always been at the forefront of new technological frontiers and we are excited to work with Metaphysic in bringing the most exciting opportunities to our clients and the industry.”

Testament to its technical and creative excellence, Metaphysic has been named the sole AI provider for the highly-anticipated major motion picture Here, produced by Miramax and directed by Robert Zemeckis. Starring Tom Hanks and Robin Wright, this adaptation of Richard McGuire’s graphic novel
reunites the original Oscar-winning team behind “Forrest Gump,” along with Paul Bettany and Kelly Reilly.

In an industry-first, Here incorporates hyperreal AI-generated face replacements and de-ageing into the very fabric of its storytelling.

“I’ve always been attracted to technology that helps me to tell a story. With HERE, the film simply wouldn’t work without our actors seamlessly transforming into younger versions of themselves. Metaphysic’s AI tools do exactly that, in ways that were previously impossible! Having tested every flavor of face replacement and de-aging technology available today, Metaphysic are clearly the global leaders in feature-quality AI content and the perfect choice for this incredibly challenging, emotional film,” said Robert Zemeckis, in a statement.

Building on its industry-leading generative AI technology for Hollywood, Metaphysic is announcing its new product, Metaphysic Live. Being deployed in production on Here, Metaphysic’s new tool creates high-resolution photorealistic faceswaps and de-ageing effects on top of actors’ performances live and in real-time without the need for further compositing or VFX work. Streaming AI-generated photorealistic content that maps onto real-world scenes at up to 30 frames per second is a dramatic advance in the technology that will be essential to creating immersive AR/VR, gaming and entertainment experiences.

Kevin Baillie, Production Visual Effects Supervisor on Here says, “It is incredible to see Metaphysic’s AI-generated content flawlessly integrated into a shot live on set! The actors can even use the technology as a ‘youth mirror’ – testing out acting choices for their younger selves in real-time. That feedback loop and youthful performance is absolutely essential in achieving an authentic, delightful result.”

“Metaphysic is rapidly expanding the creative horizons of Hollywood and beyond. Our tools are cost-
effective, movie-quality and scalable – we are being forced to reimagine how visual media is produced,”
said Thomas Graham, CEO of Metaphysic, in a statement. “With the support of CAA and by working on projects like Here, Metaphysic is demonstrating the transformative power of hyperreal AI to shape the future of entertainment and to eventually help people create AI-generated, photorealistic immersive
content while they own and control their data.”

To build upon its incredible technical offering, Metaphysic is currently hiring additional talent to bolster its machine learning, VFX, and product innovation teams. Qualified candidates are encouraged to reach out to Metaphysic.

Metaphysic has appointed creative team leaders, cofounder Chris Ume as AI Supervisor and recently hired Chief Innovation Officer Jo Plaete – as visual effects supervisor for Here.