AI-Putin to ‘star’ in new biopic by Polish director

AI counterpart features in the film wearing soiled nappies, confronting his predecessor

With ChatGPT and deepfake technology having been unleashed into the world, get ready for the next instalment in technological witchcraft: AI actors. As reported by The Guardian, the “world premiere” of a new biopic of Russian president Vladimir Putin, played by an AI-rendered character, has been announced for September 26. 

According to the publication, the film, titled Putin, is the English-language debut of Polish director Besaleel, also known as Patryk Vega. Polish studio AIO has released a statement revealing that Putin will be released in 35 countries, describing it as getting “up close and personal with the Kremlin leader’s story”. The trailer includes shots of Putin wearing a soiled nappy, taking part in martial arts, and confronting Boris Yeltsin.

The Guardian noted that director Besaleel has helmed a string of homegrown box-office hits characterised by grisly violence. In a statement, Besaleel revealed he used his own AI technology to create the film version of the Russian president. 

“Inviting Putin to the studio for 20,000 shots wasn’t an option and the archival materials available online didn’t allow for training a high-resolution deepfake model suitable for cinematic use,” explained Besaleel. “As a result, after nearly two years of development, we’ve created our pioneering AI-driven technology, enabling us to craft the cinematic character without relying on a real human model.”

Delving into the passion behind his project, Besaleel added: “Putin is not just a film. It’s a response to a global quest to understand the motives and actions of one of the most controversial figures in contemporary politics. My production’s mission is to provide viewers with a ‘user manual’ for Putin, aiming to alleviate the fear and uncertainty that dominate today’s world.”

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