Seth MacFarlane’s AI Transformation Into Bill Clinton Is Almost Too Real

Count Seth MacFarlane as another creator ready and willing to ride the death spiral of AI, as the Family Guy and Ted creator used the rapidly evolving tech to transform himself into former President Bill Clinton for a Ted Season 2 (read our review here) episode. As you can see from the article’s thumbnail, MacFarlane is literally unrecognizable as the former leader of the free world.

MacFarlane’s Clinton is Eerily Accurate

MacFarlane’s latest spot on Ted is not the first time he has impersonated the saxophone-playing political figure, having voiced him many times on Fox’s animated series Family Guy. Still, his most recent portrayal of the 1990s-era president is a bridge too far, leading into the Uncanny Valley.

“I’ve been doing my Bill Clinton impression since the early days of Family Guy,” MacFarlane told the Associated Press. “It’s an interesting example of how AI can be used as a tool and not necessarily trample on the art that the rest of the industry is doing. We tried prosthetics, we tried traditional CGI, and everything just looked terrifying. So we just said, ‘To hell with it, let’s try AI.’ It worked. It was the only way to look like Bill Clinton.”

Conflicting Thoughts

I don’t know if it’s the only way, Seth, but it certainly looks convincing, I’ll give you that. And this could be one of the best (and funniest) use cases for AI I’ve seen in the past several months. While I still have concerns about how using AI could have screwed Ted’s crew members out of an honest day’s work, I’m not schooled enough in the matter to change my mind. Barring anything nefarious, the effect is nothing short of stunning. MacFarlane’s impression of Clinton is spot-on, and the thought of “Bubba” giving a donut shop employee an expletive-filled talking to while trying to shake hands with the rabble is a riot. I haven’t seen Peacock‘s Ted series, but every clip I’ve watched makes me laugh. I might need to investigate.

What do you think about Seth MacFarlane’s AI Bill Clinton? Is AI the best way to impersonate real-life figures in filmmaking? Are we steadily tumbling down a dark rabbit hole from which we will never return? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.

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