HONG KONG: Singer Leon Lai may be 59, but artificial intelligence (AI) has given fans a glimpse of what he might have looked like at 19.
The Heavenly King recently released the music video for his latest song, Hold You, a collaboration with Leung Yip — better known as Fatboy from the Hong Kong boy band Error.
Created entirely using AI, the video takes viewers back 40 years to 1985, when Lai was studying in Britain, and digitally transforms him into his teenage self.
The fantasy-themed video features Lai and Fatboy as schoolmates setting off on an adventure, complete with dance routines and magical elements reminiscent of the Harry Potter films.
The AI-generated version of Leon sports youthful, chiselled features, prompting some fans to compare his appearance to Hong Kong actor Jeffrey Ngai.
Fatboy also received a digital makeover, with viewers noting that he appeared considerably taller, almost matching Lai’s actual height of 180cm.
While some viewers were impressed by the technology and Lai’s refreshed look, others felt the digitally recreated version lacked the natural charm and charisma that made the singer one of the biggest heartthrobs of the 1990s.
Some commented that his AI face looked overly perfect, with one observing that “something looks a little off”, while another remarked that he appeared “a little too AI-perfect”.
Others joked that the younger Lai did not need any digital enhancement in the first place, insisting that the real 19-year-old was better-looking than his AI counterpart.