In the category of truths stranger than fiction, South Korean gaming giant Krafton have launched their "first virtual human, ANA".

Think of it like reverse LARPing (live action roleplaying) and instead of geeks having fun, it's for corporate profit.

For the sake of those less familiar with the corporate gaming landscape, Krafton is best known for the battle royale Player Unknown Battlegrounds.

Their portfolio also includes Striking Distance Studios who are developing sci-fi horror The Callisto Protocol and Unknown Worlds Entertainment who made the aquatic sci-fi survival Subnautica games.

Krafton's press release says ANA's YouTube and Instagram accounts launched today, but that was actually two weeks ago.

To date she has accrued 284 YouTube subscribers and 60 Instagram followers.

Though social media being the beast it is, how many of those are real people is anyone's guess.

From the press release:

Developed at KRAFTON, ANA was created using hyperrealism and deep learning technology. With the launch of her new YouTube and Instagram channels, ANA aims to continuously post new and engaging content, while also working on her own original song and music video.

So this sounds like some form of artificial intelligence.

Superficially it begs to be mocked and may well be, but she's far from the first virtual social media influencer.

That business goes all the way back to the 1930's and a mannequin called Cynthia.

Who among other things received jewels and clothes from Tiffany's and Cartier to wear.

Dress up a doll, haul it around town to fancy gigs and get sent expensive shit.

Nice work if you can get it.

Of course the downside with the virtual world is that ANA can't wear real clothes or jewellery so the best she'll ever be sent is non-fungible tokens (NFTs), a.k.a. expensive jpegs.

We are of a sufficiently advanced age that we barely recognise the existence, let alone legitimacy, of human social media influencers.

So we're not ripe for recruitment into this particular cult.

But we wouldn't dare to predict what will come of this or like endeavours.

We'll just watch.

From a distance.

No we didn't watch her YouTube video.

There are some depths we won't plumb, even on the job.

[ Main Image: Krafton's virutal human, ANA. Credit: Krafton. ]

References

ANA (August 4, 2022). Hello World! It's me ANA! YouTube.

ANA. the.official.ana. Instagram. (viewed August 16, 2022)

Krafton (August 15, 2022). Krafton, Inc. Unveils Virtual Influencer ANA and Provides a Snapshot of Future Content.

Rasmussen, Makena (January 27, 2022). Who Was the First Virtual Influencer? Virtual Humans.

Wikipedia. Krafton. (viewed August 16, 2022)