Jasmine Curtis-Smith, Diego Loyzaga weigh in on AI, virtual dating

Jasmine Curtis-Smith —PHOTOS BY VIVA FILMS

In the upcoming film “A Glimpse of Forever,” romance and virtual reality mingle, creating a platform where one can seek love and companionship by simply wearing a pair of smart glasses.

But while the cast finds the concept “refreshing” for a movie, the same can’t be said in a real-life setting. As it is, people are already too dependent on technology for various aspects of their lives, including love. So, what more if there comes, in the future, lifelike human models with the capacity to reciprocate actual emotions?

“These days, people can get easily hooked on social media, especially those who feel alone or have social anxiety. They find comfort in it,” actress Jasmine Curtis-Smith said at a recent press conference. “I myself tend to use technology to distract myself or drift away for a while, but I’m wary of relying on virtual reality that can respond with feelings. Parang iba na ‘yun. It’s too scary.”

On the flip side, the idea of virtual reality dating can possibly provide a semblance of escape, or help people realize what’s missing in their real lives. The danger, however, is when the line separating the two gets blurred.

“Maybe it can show you what you want in life and result in inspiration or having higher standards. But it gets bad when you can’t distinguish reality from fantasy. And in this film, there’s a tendency for people to go to this fake fantasy world to escape the harsh realities of their relationships, instead of fixing them,” director Jason Paul Laxamana said.

Living in fantasy

Actor Jerome Ponce echoed his coworkers’ sentiments: “Living in fantasy can be good in a way. We can be inspired or see things that are not in the real world, and help bring us to places we don’t expect to be … But don’t lose sight of reality.

“It’s nice to enter a fantasy world, like when you read a book. And then you get lost in it and enjoy it. But if you use it for the sake of not having to face the real things in life, then you will make no progress in what it is actually that you should be doing,” said Diego Loyzaga. In Viva Films’ “A Glimpse of Forever,” which opens in theaters on March 4, Jasmine plays Glenda, a woman struggling with marital issues who tries out a virtual dating studio called “ForeVR.” She is presented with five virtual models to choose from and opts for Kokoy (Diego), dubbed “The Boy Next Door.”

Dante (Jerome) provides all the real-time voice and movements for Kokoy and other virtual models the clients date. Dante is a failed theater actor with severe social anxiety. ForeVR is a platform to showcase his talent without showing his face. However, as days pass, the better Dante—through Kokoy’s image—gets to know Glenda, who’s starting to feel a connection. Glenda is still in a relationship in real life. Dante is forbidden from revealing his identity to clients. But will their romance get a chance to break out of its virtual sandbox?

While such a concept does seem far-fetched at the moment, the advancements in AI (artificial intelligence) models—some of which can generate or simulate image, videos, “artworks” or human likeness by way of simple text prompts—does give a peek of what’s to come.

Diego Loyzaga

Possible dangers

“I think we’re going in that direction, whether we like it or not. I can’t go out without my phone. We use it for various things, we use apps if we want to know how to get somewhere. In a sense, you feel crippled when you don’t have your phone with you. And tech is only going to advance in the years to come. It’s scary, but it has always been, hasn’t it?” Diego said. Jason Paul remains on the fence when it comes to AI, especially its application in show biz or arts. “I appreciate technology, but I acknowledge its possible dangers, especially in the arts. The fear is that AI will someday end up doing the work of artists. And it’s a valid argument. But at the same time, you can’t stop innovation … For now, I’m an observer watching where technology goes,” the filmmaker said.

Jerome offered more resistance. “I feel like it will kill jobs, hobbies, sports—a lot of things,” he said.

More than a depiction of the possible future of dating, the film also highlights the importance of communication, regardless of medium or platform. “Communication is key, but it’s hard to practice because not everyone has the same abilities or skills. We all have different backgrounds and ways of communicating to a lover,” Jasmine said. “We should be able to tackle whatever issues we have and resolve them before bringing the relationship to the next level. Communication is also about timing and discernment,” she added.