Is Belle AI?

Question

Is Belle AI?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Belle is a computer-made virtual human, the 3D double of the heroine of Mamoru Hosoda's 2021 film Belle, built by the Japanese virtual human company Aww Inc. to promote the film on Instagram.

The clearest evidence comes from the company that made her. On 26 July 2021 Aww Inc., which calls itself Japan's first virtual human company, announced that Belle, the main character of Studio Chizu's film, had been unveiled as a virtual human, developed with its MASTER MODEL virtual human technology, and linked her Instagram account @uworld_belle. VirtualHumans.org says the same in its own reporting: the studio created a 3D virtual influencer version of the protagonist for fans to follow, and turned to Aww Inc., the agency behind the virtual influencer Imma, to build her. No page names a human model, performer or puppeteer behind her images.

Two things are worth knowing. She is "AI" in the sense of a computer-generated persona: the pages call her a virtual human and a 3D double, and none says whether generative AI tools were used or how MASTER MODEL works. And VirtualHumans.org notes that her Spotify profile streams the pop ballads featured in the film; the pages read do not say who sings them, so her music should not be taken as a generated voice.

What cannot be checked now is the account itself. Her Instagram returned "Profile isn't available" when it was last read, so no post or platform AI label could be confirmed, and VirtualHumans.org lists her as inactive or discontinued. The verdict rests on the maker's own announcement and one specialist outlet that agrees with it.