The Rise of Virtual Humans
Newsletter 28
Transforming Customer Service and Beyond
In the age of rapid technological advancement, the concept of Virtual Humans, or Synthetic Media as I like to call it, is no longer confined to the realms of science fiction. Today, digital avatars, virtual influencers, and AI-powered customer service representatives are becoming commonplace, heralding a new era in human-computer interaction. As this technology evolves, it presents a myriad of opportunities and challenges across various industries. Let's delve into the pros and cons of Synthetic Media and explore its potential to revolutionize customer service and beyond.
The Pros of Virtual Humans
1. Enhanced Customer Service
Virtual Humans can provide 24/7 customer support without fatigue, ensuring consistent and timely responses. These digital agents can handle multiple inquiries simultaneously, reducing wait times and improving customer satisfaction. With advancements in natural language processing (NLP) and emotional AI, they can simulate empathetic and personalized interactions, making customers feel heard and valued.
2. Cost Efficiency
Deploying Virtual Humans can significantly reduce operational costs. Businesses can save on training, salaries, and benefits associated with human employees. Furthermore, the scalability of digital avatars means that companies can easily adjust the level of service based on demand without incurring additional expenses.
3. Accessibility and Inclusivity
Virtual Humans can be programmed to communicate in multiple languages and adapt to various cultural contexts, making services more accessible to a global audience. They can also be designed to cater to individuals with disabilities, ensuring inclusivity and equal access to services.
4. Revolutionizing Education and Training
In education, Virtual Humans can serve as personalized tutors, offering tailored learning experiences for students. They can also simulate real-world scenarios for training purposes, providing a safe and controlled environment for learners to practice skills, from medical procedures to customer service interactions.
5. Marketing and Entertainment
The entertainment industry is already witnessing the rise of virtual influencers and digital celebrities. These synthetic personalities can engage with audiences on social media, endorse products, and even perform in virtual concerts. For businesses, this opens up new marketing avenues and the potential to reach younger, tech-savvy demographics.
Related Event: Digital Hollywood: Virtual Human Exploration
The Cons of Virtual Humans
1. Ethical and Privacy Concerns
The creation and deployment of Virtual Humans raise significant ethical questions. Issues such as consent, data privacy, and the potential misuse of digital avatars for malicious purposes need to be addressed. The unauthorized cloning of individuals, especially celebrities, can lead to legal battles and invasion of privacy.
2. Loss of Human Jobs
While Virtual Humans can enhance efficiency, they also pose a threat to human employment. Many jobs, particularly in customer service and support, may become redundant, leading to economic and social challenges. The transition to a digital workforce must be managed carefully to mitigate the impact on human workers.
3. Trust and Authenticity
Building trust with AI-powered avatars is a complex challenge. While they can mimic human emotions, they lack genuine empathy and understanding. Customers may feel disconnected or frustrated if they realize they are interacting with a machine rather than a human. The key lies in striking a balance between automation and human touch.
4. Technical Limitations
Despite advancements, Virtual Humans are still constrained by the limitations of AI and machine learning. They may struggle with complex queries or fail to understand nuanced human emotions. Continuous improvement in AI capabilities is essential to overcome these technical barriers.
Related Article: Synthetic Media Made Easy
Can AI Build Trust?
As human emotions are increasingly replicated virtually, the question arises: can AI build trust with these seemingly real apparitions? The answer lies in transparency and consistency. Customers are more likely to trust AI if they are aware of its nature and capabilities. Clear communication about the role and limitations of Virtual Humans can help set realistic expectations. Additionally, consistent performance and reliable service can foster trust over time.
“Can I please, for the love of God, speak to a human?”
The advent of Virtual Humans, or Synthetic Media, marks a significant milestone in the digital transformation journey. From revolutionizing customer service to transforming education and entertainment, the potential applications are vast and varied. However, the successful integration of this technology requires careful consideration of ethical, social, and technical challenges.
As businesses worldwide hop on the Synthetic Media gravy train, it is crucial to navigate this landscape with a balanced approach. Embracing innovation while safeguarding human values will be key to harnessing the full potential of Virtual Humans. Whether you are a business leader, educator, or tech enthusiast, the era of Synthetic Media promises an exciting and transformative future.
AI Roundup
“Vimeo will not allow generative AI models to be trained using videos hosted on our platform without your explicit consent, even if you use our free offerings.” This is great because I am a longtime fan and user of this platform. Integrity holds the day.
The Media Industry’s Race To License Content For AI
Many lawsuits that copyright owners have brought against generative AI platforms such as OpenAI are grinding their way through the courts. Meanwhile, in advance of any court decisions, copyright owners have been operating on the assumption that the AI companies will need to take licenses to content to use it for training their models or in their generative outputs.
Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos Says AI Will “Generate a Great Set of Creator Tools”
The executive added that the overall impact on content remains unclear as the use of AI is still in early stages. He gets it right. It will be less about AI Films and more about Great Films that maybe used some AI Tools. Big difference.
Events
Starts Today! I am moderating two sessions at Digital Hollywood and am a panelist on a third session. Here are the details:
Tuesday, July 23rd, 2024
2 PM – 2:50 PM - Eastern Time Zone
The AI Start-Up Dream Team: Strategies for Success: Unique Founders, PhDs, Genius Advisors, Venture Board
Speakers:
Curt Doty, Founder, RealmIQ, Moderator
Jeremy Toeman, Founder and CEO, AugX Labs
Mitchell Posada, Co-Founder, 3TGTM
DMA Anderson, Founder of Korgi
Speaker Bios and Session Information - Click Here
4 PM – 4:40 PM - Eastern Time Zone
AI & the Design of Randomness: Unlocking the Inner Jackson Pollock
Speakers:
Neil Leach, Architect, Curator, Visiting Professor, Harvard University, Gao Feng Professor, Tongji University and Adjunct Professor, University of Southern California
Ulrike Kerber, Principal and Creative Director, Viva Design
Sandu Baciu, founder, Baciu Co.
Curt Doty, Founder, RealmIQ, Moderator
Speaker Bios and Session Information - Click Here
Wednesday, July 24, 2024
2:00 PM 2:50 PM
Virtual Human Exploration
Can we as humans create emotional bonds with virtual or synthetic beings? That is a good question that we cannot answer, at least we have not experienced it quite yet. We have experienced it through movies such as “Her” and “Blade Runner.”
Gregor Hofer, CEO, Speech Graphics and Rapport
Mike Gioia, Co-Founder, Pickaxe
Rich Sutton, Managing Partner, DMRS Advisory, LLC, Moderator
Dr. Cecelia Alm, Artificial Intelligence Program Director, Rochester Institute of Technology School of Design
Patrick Levy-Rosenthal, CEO, MetaSoul
Jason Mars, Professor of Computer Science, University of Michigan, President, Jaseci Labs
Curt Doty, Founder, RealmIQ
Speaker Bios and Session Information – Click Here
RealmIQ: SESSIONS Double Header
Back to back SESSIONS with Peter Csathy and Jeremy Toeman. Peter and I just pitched a session to SXSW, Stay tuned and Jeremy and I speak at Digital Hollywood Tomorrow at 4pm EST. https://www.digitalhollywood.com/tuesday-eleven---summer-2024-ai-festival
Peter Csathy on YouTube
Jeremy Toeman on YouTube
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About the Author
Curt Doty specializes in branding, product development, social strategy, integrated marketing, and UXD. He has extensive experience on AI-driven platforms MidJourney, Adobe Firefly, ChatGPT, Murf.ai, and DALL-E. His legacy of entertainment branding: Electronic Arts, EA Sports, ProSieben, SAT.1, WBTV Latin America, Discovery Health, ABC, CBS, A&E, StarTV, Fox, Kabel 1, TV Guide Channel, and Prevue Channel.
He is a sought after public speaker having been featured at Streaming Media NYC, Digital Hollywood, Mobile Growth Association, Mobile Congress, App Growth Summit, Promax, CES, CTIA, NAB, NATPE, MMA Global, New Mexico Angels, Santa Fe Business Incubator, EntrepeneursRx and AI Impact. He is now represented by Ovationz. His new consultancy RealmIQ helps companies manage the AI Revolution.
© 2024 Curt Doty Company LLC. All rights reserved. RealmIQ is a division of the Curt Doty Company. Reproduction, in whole or part, without permission of the publisher is prohibited. Publisher is not responsible for any AI errors or omissions.