Ikuko, 86, Embraces AI and New Methods to Save Japan's Iconic Geisha Culture
Tokyo's oldest geisha, Ikuko, 86, uses a hologram of herself to perform in a mall, highlighting the dwindling geisha population in Japan and efforts to preserve the tradition through modern adaptations.
AI-generated summary
Geisha culture in Japan has been declining due to dwindling numbers and changing societal values.
In one of the busy malls in Tokyo, Ikuko, Japan's oldest and most famous geisha dances for shoppers in an elegant black kimono with precise movements. Only, the 86-year-old isn't really there; it's her hologram, a 3D projection of her, displayed in a life-size white box. "Thank you very much," she said to passers-by, before bowing and changing to a younger version of herself, created with AI. [...] End of Article
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Increased use of technology to preserve and promote geisha culture.
Likely · Within months
Tokyo Metropolitan Government may provide limited support for geisha districts.
Possible · Within weeks
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