Qualcomm's FYI.AI and Will.i.am Face a "Digital Blackface" Issue.
That wasn't it.
At SXSW 2025, Qualcomm and Will.i.am presented FYI.AI as the future of AI-driven messaging. However, the demonstration revealed something unexpectedly uncomfortable: the artificial personas created seemed to brush against the concept of digital blackface. During the panel "AI is the New UI," Will.i.am showcased the personas from his FYI.AI application, which operates thanks to Qualcomm's Snapdragon processor. The artist claimed that the purpose of these personas was to make AI more accessible, giving it the "flavor and energy" of real people from diverse communities.
FYI.AI is an AI-powered productivity app aimed at creators, available for iOS and Android. Its main function is to organize projects, manage calendars, summarize group chats, and make calls, among other features, providing a comprehensive experience as a digital assistant that seeks to replace multiple applications.
Among the new features of FYI.AI is RAiDiO.FYI, which simulates a traditional radio experience through curated content and AI conversations. It resembles a Spotify DJ but has the capability to interact conversationally with the user. During the panel, Will.i.am introduced an artificial persona named "Flowing with the vibes," designed to embody a young Black woman. Instead of a careful representation, it came off as unnecessarily scripted, with phrases like "You know I gotta keep it real with you, always bringing that authenticity" and "Chaaa, what's up my peeps!"—which were perceived as an exaggerated attempt to mimic Black culture.
It is common for AI or digital media that overly imitate Black culture, especially without the involvement of Black creators, to be labeled as digital blackface. Qualcomm and Will.i.am's presentation seems to indicate a desire to explore the boundaries of AI personalization. Although the idea of an AI that adapts to culture is intriguing, the execution leaned more towards parody, raising serious ethical questions about who is creating these AI voices and how they reflect or distort the communities they aim to represent.
Will.i.am stated that his proposal does not seek to replace culture but to enrich it by offering an AI that communicates with people in a way that feels natural. However, the perception of naturalness was compromised by the exaggerated execution. Recently, Meta faced a similar issue with Liv, a "proud queer Black mother of two," who had to be removed following backlash.
Through his collaboration with Qualcomm, Will.i.am aims to position himself as a relevant player in the field of artificial intelligence, expanding his influence from his partnership with LG on XBOOM speakers to naming Jason Derulo as an ambassador for FYI.AI. For Qualcomm and FYI.AI to advance AI development, they need to move beyond merely mixing identities.
