Stephane Lefebvre, centre, CEO of Cirque du Soleil, poses with artists and crew members after the opening night of "KURIOS – Cabinet of Curiosities", Cirque du Soleil's new production in Toronto on April 14, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
MONTREAL – The head of Cirque du Soleil says artificial intelligence poses a low risk to the renowned Quebec company, even as debate is emerging about intellectual property protection for artists.
Given the strength of the circus company’s brand, Stéphane Lefebvre says he isn’t too worried, arguing that its reputation shields it from AI-driven copying attempts.
Artificial intelligence has raised hackles throughout the art and entertainment world, with AI platform users now able to create images, text and music inspired by – and sometimes nearly indistinguishable from – the pros.
Recently, a fake duet imitating the voices of Drake and The Weeknd went viral on social media, causing a stir in the recording community.
In an interview Tuesday, Lefebvre acknowledged he’s enjoyed experimenting with AI chatbots to tell stories to his kids.
He also says Cirque du Soleil is not completely closing the door on the technology for its creative process, but for sees it more as an administrative aid than an artistic one, pointing to potential legal pitfalls.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 2, 2023.
