As members of the Aboitiz Group’s Reputation Council sat down for a learning session with technologist Greg Cross, we were greeted to a demonstration of Nova, a fully AI Avatar brand ambassador from Soul Machines — an experience that left us in awe, as we were offered a glimpse into the future of brand experiences, where artificial intelligence and avatar characters are likely to become key players.
Soul Machines is at the forefront of this movement, offering a brand experience of the future that includes generated AI voices in multiple languages, generated and curated conversational content, autonomously animated digital characters, cognitive user experience, presenting and interacting with AI generated content, and immersive 3D digital spaces.
Before delving deeper into this groundbreaking technology, Soul Machines co-founder Greg Cross shared a brief history of avatars and its roots in animation — from the very first cartoon shows, to the incredible quality of digital characters and animation seen in today’s movies and AAA games.
Animation and magic came together when Walter Disney founded the Walt Disney Company 100 years ago, and the magic of animation has been with us ever since.
—Greg Cross, Co-Founder, Soul Machines
But it’s not just about creating a digital character. It’s about bringing it to life. This is where the magic happens. With the combination of advanced AI technology and the highest quality animation, Soul Machines is able to create a truly cognitive user experience. Nova is not just a pre-programmed figure, but a fully autonomous, animated being that can interact and adapt to its environment and audience.
Behind this technology is co-founder Mark Sagar, an Oscar-winning technologist who built the core technology used by Peter Jackson’s WETA digital and James Cameron’s first Avatar movie. Sagar set up a research lab for the University of Auckland back in 2012, with the goal of reinventing the future of animations. He created two technologies that are used to create these avatars: the technology used to create the digital character and the technology used to bring it to life.
So, when you see Nova or any of Soul Machines’ Avatars talking, there are two technologies at work. The first is the technology used to create and animate the digital character. The second is the technology used to bring that character to life, using AI and machine learning to make them more interactive and engaging. This deep tech is what sets Soul Machines apart from other companies, and it is what enables them to create engaging and personalized brand experiences for customers.
But Soul Machines is more than just avatars and AI. Cross believes that understanding the transition from the present Web 2.0 to Metaverse Web 3.0 (and the gap in between called Web 2.5) is crucial for companies that want to target the growing customer segments of Gen Z and millennials.
“These are the people that we have to remain relevant for in the future. These people don’t live in websites anymore. They live in social media. They live in the gaming world. We have to start thinking about how to migrate in this world of Web 2.5.”
And we’re already seeing the application of Soul Machines’ technology in the real world, with Florence, the World Health Organization’s AI digital health worker. Florence is a great example of how AI Avatars can provide a new level of interaction and engagement for customers, especially in the healthcare industry.
By creating immersive, interactive, and highly personalized brand experiences, Soul Machines is helping brands bridge the gap between the digital and physical worlds. As the world becomes more digital, brands that can create meaningful connections with their customers will be the ones that succeed. With AI and Avatar technology, Soul Machines is helping brands do just that.
