West beauty queen uses AI clone to reach finals of pageant

BRISTOL University graduate Jessica Pliskin has made history in the Miss England contest after coming out on top in a new AI "Avatar Round" introduced this year for the first time at the beauty pageant.

- PETE GAVAN & ED CHATTERTON

The divisive round saw beauty queens creating digitally cloned versions of their real-life selves to perform corporate presentations to the camera using fully animated avatars.

They were then judged on their grasp and understanding of the technology before their avatars were pitched to brands and agencies in a bid to secure commercial contracts for a tech firm.

Jessica's digital twin - named Jessa - can be seen talking to the camera, where she eerily says: "Hello, I'm Jessa and I'm not real."

She then begins talking in French - a language she does not know in reality - and adds: "Now my likeness can be everywhere, for everyone.

"Whether you're promoting products oversees, creating a social media campaign, training staff or delivering presentations, I can represent your message with professionalism, personality and impact."

Miss England organisers believe they are the first beauty pageant in the world to introduce a digital AI round to help "reflect the world" the young women are stepping into.

The contest has already axed its bikini swimwear round in a bid to move away from outdated pageant stereotypes but there have been mixed opinions on whether the new round is dangerous or progressive.

Jessica, of Bristol, was named the winner after impressing judges with her "creativity, technical understanding, and vision" and for using technology to make a "positive impact".

The 23-year-old now plans to implement the same technology to bring AI-powered education to deprived communities across Africa as part of a project which has already won plaudits in Zambia.