Amsterdam - While I was doing stand-up comedy in Holland, the future of show business landed in Quezon City. This is the kind of event that makes you wish you had mastered the art cloning yourself long before artificial intelligence did.

Last week, tech entrepreneur, filmmaker, and visionary Nigel de Mesa unveiled what is being described as the world's first AI Protection and Licensing Ecosystem for celebrities and public personalities. Called NDM Verified Doppel, the platform was launched in Quezon City and immediately caught the attention of artists, executives, and industry leaders who understand one thing: in today's digital age, your face, voice, and identity may be your most valuable assets. Now signed under the Verified Doppel management are the AI selves of the following artists: Arci Muñoz, Anthony Ocampo, Krista Miller, Angeli Khang, Moymoy Palaboy, Fabio Ide, Jan Christine, Richard Quan, Lance Raymundo, Lovely Rivero, Alma Concepcion and yours truly. 

Let's face it. Artificial intelligence has become so advanced that it can recreate voices, generate videos, and even make celebrities appear to endorse products they have never seen in their lives. One day you're promoting a shampoo. The next day, an AI version of you is apparently selling miracle vitamins, cryptocurrency, and possibly a spaceship. Welcome to 2026!

I was able to interview Nigel by phone and the brilliant director and visionary turned tech entrepreneur told me:  "The goal is simple: protect artists while allowing them to benefit from technology rather than become victims of it."

Citing moi specifically, he said, "Giselle, you’re a head servant of a Catholic community, you would not want an AI clone of yours doing adult content movies."

Of course!

The platform monitors unauthorized use of a celebrity's likeness and provides a legal and ethical framework for licensing AI versions of artists for approved commercial projects. What makes this particularly interesting is that it goes beyond protection. It also opens doors for new income streams and creative opportunities for talents willing to embrace the future. In many ways, it reflects what entertainment industries around the world are beginning to explore as deepfakes and AI-generated content become increasingly common.

And the business is expanding. Nigel told me, "We are flying to Bangkok this month to sign in celebrities from Thailand and sooner than later celebrities from France and Korea."

Equally impressive is Verified Doppel’s ecosystem's connection to NDM PLUS, a premium global streaming platform based in Singapore.

Dubbed "The Home of Unique Storytelling," NDM PLUS features an all-original library of films and series in multiple languages, showcasing talents from Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, France, Spain, and Australia.

“Our signed artist’s will now be seen in NDM PLUS as we will start producing AI movies," said Nigel.

"Last month, our full-length films were recently selected by the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) to participate in the prestigious Marché du Film during the Cannes International Film Festival. Not bad for a platform that many now consider both a streaming service and a luxury lifestyle brand. Among niche affluent audiences, NDM PLUS has quietly evolved into a status symbol, proving that premium storytelling still has a place in a world drowning in content,” added Nigel.

As someone who has spent decades in entertainment, I find this development both fascinating and necessary. The reality is that technology isn't waiting for any of us. The question is whether we choose to fear it or learn how to work with it.

I may have missed the launch because I was halfway across the world singing my heart out in Holland, but one thing is clear: while I was entertaining audiences abroad, the future of Philippine entertainment was already taking center stage back home. And this time, the star of the show may just be AI itself.