Project MUSE

Client: Google // Director: Lindsey Savino

Never underestimate the power of The X-Files. More than just a pop culture juggernaut, the character of Dana Scully inspired an entire generation of young girls to pursue careers in STEM-related fields. This phenomenon, better known as the Scully Effect, was a foundational observation in MUSE, Media Understanding for Social Exploration, a project that applies Google AI to studying representation in media.

Given how influential entertainment can be, Google Research used cutting-edge machine learning to understand media portrayal and its impact on viewers to understand perceived age, gender, skin tones, and the natural language of actors and their characters to enhance our understanding of representation and its impact on viewers.