Virtual influencers, like Noonoouri, are trying to become music stars. Noonoouri is a digital character made by a German designer and has signed a music deal with Warner Music. She is their first digital artist. Her voice is partly made using artificial intelligence (AI), but Warner Music says AI didn’t play a big part in making her.
Some people are worried about AI being used to make music. They think it might copy real artists or take their place. This could upset real musicians who are already trying to earn more money in the music industry. But, it’s unlikely that virtual influencers will completely replace real people in the music charts.
Noonoouri was made using different technologies like motion capture and advanced graphics. She has a lot of followers on Instagram, a modelling contract, and can change her appearance. Her deal with Warner Music shows that more people are interested in virtual influencers becoming music stars. But, how AI affects the music industry is still being discussed by artists and people in the industry.
Original news source: Can AI popstars make it in the real world? (BBC)
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Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– News Summary
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs or small groups. Give each group a few minutes to read the article. Then, ask them to work together to write a summary of the article in their own words. They should focus on the main points and key details. Afterward, have each group share their summary with the class and discuss any differences or similarities between the summaries.
– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Create a list of discussion questions related to the article, such as “Do you think virtual influencers will replace real musicians in the music industry?” or “What are the pros and cons of using AI to make music?” Have the students work in pairs or small groups and take turns asking each other the questions. Encourage them to share their opinions and provide reasons to support their answers.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write a list of vocabulary words from the article on the board, such as “virtual influencers,” “artificial intelligence,” or “motion capture.” Divide the class into teams. One student from each team will come to the board and have one minute to draw a picture to represent one of the words. The other students in the team must guess the word based on the drawing. The team that guesses the most words correctly wins.
– Speed Summarizing
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. Give each pair a copy of the article. Set a timer for 5 minutes and instruct the students to work together to read the article and write a summary. The goal is for them to summarize the article as quickly and efficiently as possible. After the time is up, have each pair share their summary with the class and discuss any challenges or strategies they used to summarize quickly.
– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions: Pose a question related to the article, such as “How do you think AI will continue to impact the music industry in the future?” Give the students a few moments to think about their answer individually. Then, have them pair up with a partner and discuss their thoughts. Finally, bring the class back together and have a few pairs share their ideas with the whole group. Encourage the students to listen and respond to each other’s ideas.
Comprehension Questions:
1. Who is Noonoouri?
2. How was Noonoouri made?
3. What is Noonoouri’s job at Warner Music?
4. Why are some people worried about AI making music?
5. What might upset real musicians about virtual influencers in the music industry?
6. What technologies were used to create Noonoouri?
7. What does Noonoouri have a lot of on Instagram?
Go to answers ⇩
Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
Virtual influencers, like Noonoouri, are trying to become music stars. Noonoouri is a digital character made by a German (1)______ and has signed a music deal with Warner Music. She is their (2)______ digital (3)______. Her voice is partly made using artificial intelligence (AI), but Warner Music says AI didn’t (4)______ a big part in making her.
Some people are worried about AI being used to (5)______ music. They think it might copy (6)______ artists or take their place. This could upset real musicians who are already trying to earn more money in the music industry. But, it’s unlikely that (7)______ influencers will completely (8)______ real people in the music charts.
Noonoouri was made using different technologies like motion capture and advanced (9)______. She has a lot of followers on Instagram, a modelling contract, and can (10)______ her appearance. Her deal with Warner (11)______ shows that more people are interested in virtual influencers (12)______ music stars. But, how AI affects the music industry is still being discussed by artists and people in the industry.
Go to answers ⇩
Discussion Questions:
Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.
1. What is a virtual influencer?
2. How would you feel if virtual influencers became more popular than real musicians?
3. Do you like the idea of virtual influencers in the music industry? Why or why not?
4. What do you think about AI being used to make music?
5. How do you think real musicians might feel about virtual influencers?
6. Do you think virtual influencers will completely replace real people in the music charts? Why or why not?
7. What do you think about Noonoouri’s deal with Warner Music?
8. How do you think AI affects the music industry?
9. What other technologies were used to create Noonoouri?
10. Would you like to have a virtual influencer as a friend? Why or why not?
11. How do you think artists and people in the music industry feel about AI in music?
12. Do you think virtual influencers will become more popular in the future? Why or why not?
Individual Activities
Vocabulary Meanings:
Match each word to its meaning.
Words:
1. virtual
2. influencers
3. music
4. artificial intelligence (AI)
5. motion capture
6. graphics
7. appearance
8. industry
Meanings:
(a) Technology that records people’s movements
(b) All the businesses and jobs related to something
(c) Sounds and songs that people listen to
(d) Smart computer programs that can think and learn
(e) People who have a lot of followers online
(f) How someone looks or what they seem like
(g) Pictures and images that are made on a computer
(h) Not real, existing only in a computer
Go to answers ⇩
Multiple Choice Questions:
1. Who is Noonoouri?
(a) A real musician
(b) A virtual influencer
(c) A German designer
(d) A digital artist
2. What has Noonoouri signed with Warner Music?
(a) A modelling contract
(b) An AI contract
(c) A music deal
(d) A motion capture contract
3. How is Noonoouri’s voice made?
(a) Completely using artificial intelligence
(b) Using motion capture technology
(c) Using advanced graphics
(d) Partly using artificial intelligence
4. What are some people worried about regarding AI in music?
(a) It might make music charts disappear
(b) It might make virtual influencers too popular
(c) It might make real musicians earn more money
(d) It might copy real artists or take their place
5. Will virtual influencers completely replace real people in the music charts?
(a) Definitely
(b) Unlikely
(c) Possibly
(d) Probably
6. What technologies were used to create Noonoouri?
(a) Motion capture and advanced graphics
(b) Artificial intelligence and modelling
(c) Music charts and virtual influencers
(d) Real musicians and AI
7. What does Noonoouri have a lot of on Instagram?
(a) Followers
(b) Real musicians
(c) Virtual influencers
(d) Motion capture
8. What does Noonoouri’s deal with Warner Music show?
(a) Virtual influencers are not popular
(b) Real musicians are not interested in the music industry
(c) More people are interested in virtual influencers becoming music stars
(d) AI is not important in the music industry
Go to answers ⇩
True or False Questions:
1. The music industry is not discussing how AI will affect it.
2. Warner Music says that AI played a big part in making Noonoouri.
3. Some people are not worried that AI could copy real artists or take their place in the music industry.
4. Noonoouri has a lot of followers on Instagram and a modelling contract.
5. Noonoouri was not made using motion capture and advanced graphics technologies.
6. Noonoouri is a virtual influencer who has signed a music deal with Warner Music.
7. Noonoouri’s voice is partly made using artificial intelligence (AI).
8. Real musicians might be upset if virtual influencers start earning more money in the music industry.
Go to answers ⇩
Write a Summary:
Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
Writing Questions:
Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.
1. Who is Noonoouri and what has she recently done?
2. How is Noonoouri’s voice made?
3. What are some concerns people have about AI in the music industry?
4. How was Noonoouri created?
5. What does Noonoouri’s music deal with Warner Music show?
Answers
Comprehension Question Answers:
1. Who is Noonoouri?
Noonoouri is a virtual influencer, a digital character created by a German designer.
2. How was Noonoouri made?
Noonoouri was made using technologies like motion capture and advanced graphics.
3. What is Noonoouri’s job at Warner Music?
Noonoouri has signed a music deal with Warner Music and is their first digital artist.
4. Why are some people worried about AI making music?
Some people are worried that AI might copy real artists or take their place in the music industry.
5. What might upset real musicians about virtual influencers in the music industry?
Real musicians might be upset because virtual influencers could potentially earn more money and become popular without being real people.
6. What technologies were used to create Noonoouri?
Technologies like motion capture and advanced graphics were used to create Noonoouri.
7. What does Noonoouri have a lot of on Instagram?
Noonoouri has a lot of followers on Instagram.
Go back to questions ⇧
Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:
(1) designer
(2) first
(3) artist
(4) play
(5) make
(6) real
(7) virtual
(8) replace
(9) graphics
(10) change
(11) Music
(12) becoming
Go back to questions ⇧
Vocabulary Meanings Answers:
1. virtual
Answer: (h) Not real, existing only in a computer
2. influencers
Answer: (e) People who have a lot of followers online
3. music
Answer: (c) Sounds and songs that people listen to
4. artificial intelligence (AI)
Answer: (d) Smart computer programs that can think and learn
5. motion capture
Answer: (a) Technology that records people’s movements
6. graphics
Answer: (g) Pictures and images that are made on a computer
7. appearance
Answer: (f) How someone looks or what they seem like
8. industry
Answer: (b) All the businesses and jobs related to something
Go back to questions ⇧
Multiple Choice Answers:
1. Who is Noonoouri?
Answer: (b) A virtual influencer
2. What has Noonoouri signed with Warner Music?
Answer: (c) A music deal
3. How is Noonoouri’s voice made?
Answer: (d) Partly using artificial intelligence
4. What are some people worried about regarding AI in music?
Answer: (d) It might copy real artists or take their place
5. Will virtual influencers completely replace real people in the music charts?
Answer: (b) Unlikely
6. What technologies were used to create Noonoouri?
Answer: (a) Motion capture and advanced graphics
7. What does Noonoouri have a lot of on Instagram?
Answer: (a) Followers
8. What does Noonoouri’s deal with Warner Music show?
Answer: (c) More people are interested in virtual influencers becoming music stars
Go back to questions ⇧
True or False Answers:
1. The music industry is not discussing how AI will affect it. (Answer: False)
2. Warner Music says that AI played a big part in making Noonoouri. (Answer: False)
3. Some people are not worried that AI could copy real artists or take their place in the music industry. (Answer: False)
4. Noonoouri has a lot of followers on Instagram and a modelling contract. (Answer: True)
5. Noonoouri was not made using motion capture and advanced graphics technologies. (Answer: False)
6. Noonoouri is a virtual influencer who has signed a music deal with Warner Music. (Answer: True)
7. Noonoouri’s voice is partly made using artificial intelligence (AI). (Answer: True)
8. Real musicians might be upset if virtual influencers start earning more money in the music industry. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧
