Intertextuality in the Body Designs of AI-Based Virtual Influencers

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Ahmet Oktan1*  & Bilge Yavas2
1Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ondokuz Mayis University, Faculty of Communication, Samsun, Turkey. *Corresponding Author.
2Master of Communication Sciences, Turkey.

Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 16, Issue 3, 2024. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n3.02
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Abstract

This study approaches virtual humans by foregrounding their material dimensions and exploring how virtual stars present visual images and the mythical connections that influence the images they create. We analyze characters named Lu do Magalu, Lil Miquela, Barbie, Thalasya, Noonoouri, Imma, Bermuda, Rozy, Ay Pera, Alara X, Hatsune Miku, and Shudu, selected through purposive sampling, considering their posts on Instagram. We employ intertextuality and its variant, mythological intertextuality, to identify how the creators of these avatars draw on myths, archetypes, and modern cultural contexts in the physical design and construction of their bodies. We discuss our findings by engaging with the views of scholars such as Carl Jung and Jean Baudrillard. In summary, we conclude that virtual influencers are visually created and embodied through inspiration from both archaic and modern myths and archetypes; their flawless and sterile bodies are transcended and idealized like mythological heroes, their eroticized and exposed bodies are presented as objects of desire, and the gender roles they adopt reproduce patriarchal myths. Additionally, it has been observed that through their fluid bodily images and design, they become mythologized and function as a type of simulacrum.

Keywords: Virtual influencer, Body, Mythology, Intertextuality, Embodiment.

Conflicts of Interest: The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
Ethical Consideration: Informed consent was obtained from all the participants of the study.
Funding: No funding was received for this research.
Article History: Received: 31 August 2024. Revised: 25 October 2024. Accepted: 25 October 2024. First published: 27 October 2024.
Copyright: © 2024 by the author/s.
License: License Aesthetix Media Services, India. Distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Published by: Aesthetix Media Services, India 
Citation: Oktan, A. & Yava?, B. (2024). Intertextuality in the Body Designs of AI-Based Virtual Influencers. Rupkatha Journal 16:3. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n3.02

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