Latest news with #Afton
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
AI clones of Miss England contestants enter pageant competition with eerie ‘digital twins'
AN EERIE new AI round for the Miss England pageant has been introduced with "digital twins" of real-life contestants. Hopefuls can now walk down a virtual catwalk and wear just about anything their heart desires all thanks to the power of AI. Advertisement 5 Afton McKeith is the first Miss England finalist to record her AI twin Credit: SWNS 5 Her virtual clone speaks more than 140 languages Credit: SWNS 5 Afton is the daughter of I'm A Celeb star Gillian McKeith Credit: SWNS The so-called "Miss England Avatar Round" give beauty queens the chance to step into the world of AI technology. Organisers behind the famed contest believe it's the first beauty pageant in the world to introduce such a round. Over the course of two-hours, each participant can develop a fully-animated digital clone of themselves, capable of delivering presentations and making virtual appearances. Advertisement Read more about AI A sample video shows her virtual clone interacting, wearing an array of outfits and even speaking in different languages. "This is not actually me, I am Afton's digital twin," the avatar says. "I have no human needs, no sleep, no stress, no make-up disasters. "Just pure calculated perfection. Advertisement Most read in Tech Exclusive Exclusive "Very soon digital twins won't be a novelty, they will be attending meetings, handling interviews and running entire lives. "Lets face it, wouldn't you rather send your avatar to your 9am meeting if you could?" mum's an I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! legend. But Afton's more likely to be found backstage at a pageant than in the jungle Miss England has got tech firm MirrorMe on board to make the new round possible. Contestants need to record voiceovers and movements to bring their avatars to life, allowing them to explore how they might represent themselves in future digital interviews, business pitches, or public speaking engagements - with the ability to speak more than 140 languages too. Advertisement The Miss England business avatar round will be one of ten rounds in the next Miss England semi final that contestants can opt to enter. A winner will be judged on the highest combined views for their AI video presentations on the MirrorMe website, Vimeo and YouTube. The real Afton, 25, said: "It's such an exciting honour to be the first Miss England contestant to experience the Avatar Round. "This initiative is a brilliant way to encourage more young women to step into the world of business and technology. Advertisement "A digital twin can be a powerful asset as it allows you to create content that can be reused, save time on filming and even license your likeness to companies for campaigns or educational tools. "It's about working smarter and exploring new ways to build your brand, create income and stay present even when you're not physically available." Angie Beasley, who has run the Miss England competition for 23 years, added: 'Miss England has always been about more than just looks. "With the rise of remote working, AI and virtual platforms, I felt it was time to reflect the world our contestants are stepping into. Advertisement "This round is about confidence, presence and impact — whether you're in the room or on a screen. "It's an empowering way to bridge beauty, brains and modern tech. "This innovative new round opens the door for contestants to embrace technology in a whole new way, highlighting their adaptability, creativity, and communication skills in the digital space." 5 Afton, 25, says it was an 'exciting honour' to be the first Miss England contestant to try it Credit: SWNS Advertisement 5 Miss England believes it's the first pageant to add an AI round Credit: SWNS
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
AI clones of Miss England contestants enter pageant competition with eerie ‘digital twins'
AN EERIE new AI round for the Miss England pageant has been introduced with "digital twins" of real-life contestants. Hopefuls can now walk down a virtual catwalk and wear just about anything their heart desires all thanks to the power of AI. Advertisement 5 Afton McKeith is the first Miss England finalist to record her AI twin Credit: SWNS 5 Her virtual clone speaks more than 140 languages Credit: SWNS 5 Afton is the daughter of I'm A Celeb star Gillian McKeith Credit: SWNS The so-called "Miss England Avatar Round" give beauty queens the chance to step into the world of AI technology. Organisers behind the famed contest believe it's the first beauty pageant in the world to introduce such a round. Over the course of two-hours, each participant can develop a fully-animated digital clone of themselves, capable of delivering presentations and making virtual appearances. Afton McKeith, daughter of I'm A Celeb star Gillian McKeith, was the first Miss England semi finalist to complete the filming process this week. Advertisement A sample video shows her virtual clone interacting, wearing an array of outfits and even speaking in different languages. "This is not actually me, I am Afton's digital twin," the avatar says. "I have no human needs, no sleep, no stress, no make-up disasters. "Just pure calculated perfection. Advertisement "Very soon digital twins won't be a novelty, they will be attending meetings, handling interviews and running entire lives. "Lets face it, wouldn't you rather send your avatar to your 9am meeting if you could?" mum's an I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! legend. But Afton's more likely to be found backstage at a pageant than in the jungle Miss England has got tech firm MirrorMe on board to make the new round possible. Contestants need to record voiceovers and movements to bring their avatars to life, allowing them to explore how they might represent themselves in future digital interviews, business pitches, or public speaking engagements - with the ability to speak more than 140 languages too. Advertisement The Miss England business avatar round will be one of ten rounds in the next Miss England semi final that contestants can opt to enter. A winner will be judged on the highest combined views for their AI video presentations on the MirrorMe website, Vimeo and YouTube. The real Afton, 25, said: "It's such an exciting honour to be the first Miss England contestant to experience the Avatar Round. "This initiative is a brilliant way to encourage more young women to step into the world of business and technology. Advertisement "A digital twin can be a powerful asset as it allows you to create content that can be reused, save time on filming and even license your likeness to companies for campaigns or educational tools. "It's about working smarter and exploring new ways to build your brand, create income and stay present even when you're not physically available." Angie Beasley, who has run the Miss England competition for 23 years, added: 'Miss England has always been about more than just looks. "With the rise of remote working, AI and virtual platforms, I felt it was time to reflect the world our contestants are stepping into. Advertisement "This round is about confidence, presence and impact — whether you're in the room or on a screen. "It's an empowering way to bridge beauty, brains and modern tech. "This innovative new round opens the door for contestants to embrace technology in a whole new way, highlighting their adaptability, creativity, and communication skills in the digital space." 5 Afton, 25, says it was an 'exciting honour' to be the first Miss England contestant to try it Credit: SWNS Advertisement
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Yahoo
Union County: Afton man charged with parole violation
Jul. 3—Beau E. Boswell, 28, of Afton, was taken into custody June 30 at the Union County Law Enforcement Center on a Department of Corrections warrant for the charge of violation of parole. According to a Department of Corrections report, Boswell violated the terms of his parole April 10, when he was arrested in Decatur County and charged with assault causing bodily injury or mental illness. Boswell was transported to the Union County Jail and held without bond.
Business Wire
01-07-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
NewMarket Corporation Schedules Conference Call and Webcast to Review Second Quarter 2025 Financial Results
RICHMOND, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--NewMarket Corporation (NYSE: NEU) announced today it expects to release second quarter 2025 earnings at the close of business on Wednesday, July 30, 2025. The earnings announcement will also be available on the Company's website at the following day. A conference call and webcast are scheduled for 3:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, July 31, 2025 to review second quarter 2025 financial results. You can access the conference call live by dialing 1-888-506-0062 (domestic) or 1-973-528-0011 (international) and requesting the NewMarket conference call. To avoid delays, callers should dial in five minutes early. A teleconference replay of the call will be available until Thursday, August 7, 2025 at 3:00 p.m. ET by dialing 1-877-481-4010 (domestic) or 1-919-882-2331 (international). The replay passcode is 52660. The call will also be broadcast via the internet and can be accessed through the Company's website at or A webcast replay will be available for 30 days. NewMarket Corporation is a holding company operating through its subsidiaries, Afton Chemical Corporation (Afton), Ethyl Corporation (Ethyl), and American Pacific Corporation (AMPAC). The Afton and Ethyl companies develop, manufacture, blend, and deliver chemical additives that enhance the performance of petroleum products. AMPAC is a manufacturer of specialty materials primarily used in solid rocket motors for the aerospace and defense industries. The NewMarket family of companies has a long-term commitment to its people, to safety, to providing innovative solutions for its customers, and to making the world a better place.
Daily Mail
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE I was stalked because my mum's famous, Gillian McKeith's daughter Afton reveals the WORST thing about growing up with a celebrity parent on latest episode of the Mail's 'The Apple & The Tree' podcast
Performer Afton McKeith, 25, revealed the worst thing about growing up with her celebrity mum, TV nutritionist Gillian McKeith, was the family being stalked. Afton made the surprise admission exclusively on the Mail's 'The Apple & The Tree' podcast, hosted by the Reverend Richard Coles. The weekly show pits parents against their adult children to ask questions about their shared family history they've always wanted answered. Questioned on whether mum Gilian's fame, known for hosting the Channel 4 show, 'You Are What You Eat', was a help or hindrance growing up, Afton said her answer 'could go both ways'. 'Overall, I feel your celebrity has helped me', Afton assessed. 'It has brought a lot of opportunities… you came from humble beginnings. You've worked really hard, and you've provided me with an incredible life. 'There have been some hindrances: We've been stalked before. Having people start following us was scary. I wouldn't wish that on anyone.' Gillian McKeith, 65, grew up on a council state in Perth, Scotland, before moving to America and becoming a health reporter. She then came back to the UK to host multiple shows on diet and nutrition, sharing an unorthodox approach to healthy eating. Her daughter Afton is a singer, actor, and musician who has forged a career in the online fitness industry. Afton recently featured in a high-profile commercial for Nike, starring rapper Central Cee. She said her desire to perform may have come from growing up watching her mum doing unscripted television. 'I wonder if my career has something to do with growing up on a set', Afton said. 'Even though you were doing television, it's still a performance. My passion for the performing arts must have something to do with the life I have been given thanks to your celebrity status.' Gillian reminisced about how her 'best friend', Boyzone singer Stephen Gately, must have also played a role in encouraging her daughter to pursue the arts. The TV presenter remembered how the singer, who sadly died in 2009, used to make tapes of songs he enjoyed for her children. 'He was such a sweet man', Afton concurred. 'Stephen was like an uncle to me. He got us an iPod and put a whole playlist of songs on it for us, which was hard to do at the time. 'It must have taken him hours, maybe days to do. He was so thoughtful.'
