Imagine your AI twin shooting content, flirting with fans and collaborating with world-class talent. No glam team, no reshoots, no bad angles. Meanwhile, you’re offline, on vacation, maybe horizontal in a robe at the Four Seasons.
That’s no longer just a fantasy. It’s the current reality.
Some creators have learned, too late, that the version of them making the rounds online isn’t theirs anymore.
But here’s the part where the record scratches and we cut to you, blinking in an ill-lit legal office — or worse, reading the contract in a Sephora parking lot on your phone. Before you say yes to a deal that sounds too good to pass up, here’s the question every creator should ask:
“Do I own my likeness in this deal, or am I giving it away for good?”
That question isn’t meant to scare you, but it is meant as a wake-up call.
Your Face Is a Business, and AI Wants In
The good news is: We’re entering a brave new era where artificial intelligence offers creators ways to build their brands without burning out.
With AI, you can generate high-end, exclusive or even personalized content — even the wildest requests — on demand, in minutes. Want a nude photo set of yourself on a yacht in Monaco? You no longer need a passport or hours of travel, just the right tool and a good prompt. Want to co-star in a premium scene with a creator based in Tokyo? You can. While in bed. Eating nachos. Watching “Love Island.”
From AI-powered chat experiences to image, audio and video generation, it’s now possible to “appear” in new content without setting up a tripod, worrying about hair and makeup — or even being in the same city as your co-stars. There are even tools that enable your AI likeness to “collaborate” with prominent directors or photographers, in their personal style.
The tech is here, but it’s only an advantage if you retain the rights to be “you.” Yet every day, creators are signing deals to “license” their look, only to end up losing control of it entirely.
Not All AI Deals Are Created Equal
Your look, voice and general aesthetic can be licensed to AI companies: sometimes for scale, sometimes for cash and occasionally for “exposure” — which, as we all know, is a polite way of saying “You get nothing, babe.”
There are two flavors of AI partnership in the creator economy.
First, there is licensing your likeness for an AI companion or similar feature based on you. That means you are granting permission for a company to train and generate an AI model using your appearance, voice and content style. In this scenario, you retain ownership. You can use the outputs however you want. It’s like hiring a digital stunt double who doesn’t complain, eat your snacks or borrow your ring light. You scale without burnout, and you still call the shots.
This kind of AI partnership can be a smart move if you future-proof the deal by making sure the AI rights you are licensing do not then rest exclusivity with the company, so that it never limits your ability to build your own AI-powered brand. You will also want to spell out compensation and royalties transparently.
The other, much less tasty, flavor involves selling your AI rights — sometimes irrevocably. This is a full transfer or exclusive license of your AI likeness, and it’s risky. The company acquiring that license can use your face, voice or body in images or scenes you never consented to, in ways you never even imagine, all potentially without further compensation. Meanwhile, you lose the right to use your own AI image elsewhere — yes, even in your own AI content. In other words: they own “you.”
Some of the most predatory contracts out there offer a quick check and promise a boost in exposure — but quietly demand an awful lot in return. In addition to imposing the restrictions mentioned above, many of these deals lock you into exclusivity with companies that may not respect or support your growth, and whose tech may become quickly outdated.
Some creators have learned, too late, that the version of them making the rounds online isn’t theirs anymore. They can’t directly profit from it, can’t repost it and can’t even object to where or how it’s used. They’re locked out of their own success.
If it feels like a “forever” deal or locks you into silence, then you’re not being hired — you’re being replaced.
Own Your Face, Own Your Future
Used wisely, AI can be an extraordinary tool. Studios love it because it’s cheaper. Fans love it because it’s seamless, and they get what they want when they want it. Creators love it because it allows them to multiply their impact with half the effort.
It’s an invitation to expand, to work less, earn more, even make money in your sleep — but you only benefit if you hold onto your rights. So read the fine print. Ask the uncomfortable questions. Be the “difficult” one who sends contracts to your lawyer.
You don’t have to fear this technology. You just need to walk into the room knowing your value, your rights and how to keep building on your own terms.
Your brand is your voice, your body, your energy, your story. That’s IP — and in the age of AI, it’s gold. So don’t just sell your likeness. License it, scale it and stay in charge of where the story goes next. Otherwise, you may find that you’ve handed the keys to your brand and future to someone else, leaving you with nothing but a vague sense of FOMO while someone else cashes your checks.
Remember: The creators who thrive in this new era will be the ones who keep their names in the credits, and their hands on the steering wheel.
Gabrielle Christ is the co-founder and COO of Unnecessary.ai, an AI content generation tool that helps creators scale without giving up their image or autonomy.
