William Shatner is celebrating his 90th birthday by boldly going where few have gone before. The “Star Trek” actor, who played Captain James T. Kirk, announced on March 22 that he is becoming a brand ambassador with StoryFile to create an AI-powered interactive video so family, friends and fans can connect with him for years to come.
“This is for all my children and all my children’s children and all my children’s loved ones and all the loved ones of the loved ones,” Shatner said. “That’s my gift to you down through time.”
The actor and director’s complete StoryFile conversation, powered by AI and Conversa technology, will be available to the public in May. The storytelling interactive app will officially launch in June.
While space was the final frontier for the starship Enterprise, StoryFile aims to create meaningful experiences through the “storytelling and legacy-sharing frontier.” Using cloud-based artificial intelligence (AI) video technology, StoryFile documents and preserves individual stories and converts them into interactive experiences.
Individuals are filmed answering questions about their lives, then the footage is processed and organized by AI technology and uploaded to StoryFile platforms. People can then have real conversations with the individual answering questions from their initial interview.
According to StoryFile’s website, Shatner joins astronauts, civil rights activists and Holocaust survivors in recording and sharing their stories with StoryFile. “Generations in the future will be able to have a conversation with [Shatner],” StoryFile Co-Founder and CEO Heather Maio-Smith said. “Not an avatar, not a deep fake, but with the real William Shatner answering their questions about his life and work. This changes the trajectory of the future — of how we experience life today, and how we share those lessons and stories for generations to come.”
The technology is also compatible with VR/AR, 3D and alternative technological and digital platforms.
“At StoryFile, we believe every person’s story matters,” StoryFile Co-Founder Stephen Smith said. “Who better to show the world how StoryFile Life works than William Shatner, a man the world knows for stretching our imaginations about the future and life in this universe and beyond. A man who has always generously shared the highs and lows with us, and who has mastered the art of storytelling.”
