Life-Like AI Influencers Ruling the Social World
- Noor Ul Ain Tahir
- Oct 23, 2023
- 4 min read
The other day I was searching about Artificial Intelligence’s influence in the social media realm, and I stumbled upon an entirely new terminology “AI Social Media Influencer.” At first, I was confused, but when I opened the link, I was shocked!
The development of AI has gone to crazy lengths which is quite difficult to believe sometimes. Have you ever thought, in the past, that you’ll give one prompt to an electronic speaker named “Alexa” and they will respond to your request? It is quite an achievement but it scares us sometimes!
This doesn’t stop here, automated advertisements on your mobile devices, Google saving your information (with the consent of course) and then auto-filling your details when you checkout of Amazon or any other e-commerce site, and many other advancements have been super convenient for us are upgrading every day.
In this article, we will get to know about the advent of life-like AI models and how far have they come.
Life-Like AI Humanoids
Life-like AI beings, often referred to as humanoid robots or androids, have been a long-standing fascination in science fiction, dating back to early literature and film. While they have been a staple of the genre for many decades, the development of physically convincing humanoid robots with advanced AI capabilities began to gain real traction in the late 20th century.
The first notable humanoid robot was "WABOT-1," created in 1973 by Waseda University in Japan. This early robot could walk, grip objects, and even play simple tunes on a keyboard. Since then, significant advancements in robotics, artificial intelligence, and materials science have led to the creation of increasingly life-like AI beings.
Today, robots like Sophia, created by Hanson Robotics, are capable of engaging in realistic conversations and expressing a range of emotions, blurring the lines between science fiction and reality. These developments continue to evolve, making humanoid AI beings an area of ongoing innovation and research.
Sophia by Hanson Robotics
Sophia is a humanoid robot created by Hong Kong-based company Hanson Robotics. She gained international fame for her human-like appearance and conversational abilities, often being referred to as one of the most advanced humanoid robots in the world.
I know you’re as curious as we are so let’s see what characteristics Sophia possess and how was she accepted by the rest of the world.
Appearance
Sophia is designed to resemble a human woman with a lifelike face, expressive features, and the ability to make eye contact. Her skin is made of a patented material that mimics human skin, and she has a wide range of facial expressions.
Abilities & Capacities
Sophia is powered by a combination of artificial intelligence, computer vision, and natural language processing. These technologies allow her to engage in conversations, answer questions, and even recognize and respond to people's facial expressions and emotions.
Public Showcase
Sophia has made numerous public appearances at events, conferences, and television shows around the world. She has interacted with celebrities, world leaders, and the general public, showcasing her conversational and social abilities.
She’s Got a Citizenship!
In 2017, Saudi Arabia granted Sophia honorary citizenship, making her the first robot in the world to receive such recognition. While this was largely symbolic, it highlighted the growing acceptance and integration of AI-driven entities into various aspects of society.
Evolution
Hanson Robotics continues to develop and improve Sophia's capabilities. Over the years, she has become more sophisticated in her interactions and can hold more nuanced conversations, understand context, and provide more informed responses.
Applications
Sophia's creators envision her being used in a variety of roles, including healthcare, customer service, and education. Her conversational abilities and human-like appearance make her potentially valuable in scenarios where human-robot interaction is beneficial.
It's important to note that Sophia is a sophisticated AI-driven robot, but she is still far from the science fiction depictions of sentient, self-aware robots. Her responses are generated based on pre-programmed algorithms and machine learning, rather than true consciousness or self-awareness. Nonetheless, Sophia represents a significant advancement in the field of robotics and AI, showcasing the potential for human-robot interaction in the future.
Virtual Influencers
We might not have been aware of this but Virtual Influencers have been around since 1996! Kyoko Date, a Japanese pop star has been a wide sensation in the country. She used to be behind the screen so people weren’t much aware of her but the recent advancements in technology have pushed her and many others into the spotlight.
There is a new category of life-like AI, known as Virtual Influencers which have gained more attraction and thousands of followers, faster than human ones due to pure curiosity! Virtual influencers are computer-generated or digitally created characters that are designed to resemble human beings and engage with audiences on social media and other online platforms. These virtual influencers have become increasingly popular in recent years, blurring the lines between reality and virtual personas.
Characteristics of Virtual Influencers
Creation and Design: Virtual influencers are typically created by graphic designers, 3D artists, and animators. They are often meticulously designed to be aesthetically pleasing and can range from realistic to highly stylized, depending on the desired aesthetic.
Personality and Backstory: Virtual influencers are often given distinct personalities and backstories. These details help in crafting a unique and relatable character for the audience to connect with.
Social Media Presence: Virtual influencers have active social media profiles on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. They post content, engage with followers, and collaborate with brands, just like human influencers.
Collaborations and Brand Endorsements: Virtual influencers collaborate with companies and brands for endorsements and promotional campaigns. Their digital nature allows them to be versatile brand ambassadors.
Controlled Content: Since virtual influencers are entirely digital, their creators have complete control over their content, appearance, and messaging. This control can be leveraged to maintain a consistent image and message.
Controversy and Ethics: The rise of virtual influencers has sparked discussions around authenticity, as they are not "real" people. Some argue that the promotion of virtual influencers may contribute to a lack of transparency in influencer marketing.
Ending Statement
AI has evolved big time and there might be a chance that it take over your part of the spotlight. In that case, always remember that you're a human and you can perform better than them in every way. AI is quick and innovative, sure, but you are more creative, can think out of the box, and won’t be redundant. You have a super power of being unique. Own it and rule the social media realm!
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