Vikram, 27, is somewhat lonely yet afraid of commitment, having seen too many relationships around him collapse too quickly. Walking down the street, his AI antenna alerts him that someone approaching matches his idea of an ideal companion. He observes her for a few seconds before letting his AI take over. Her AI responds, and the two systems begin conversing – first through signals, then via hyper-realistic avatars that meet in a virtual space. Once satisfied, both AIs give the green signal for the humans to connect. This may sound like science fiction, but we’re closer than we think. London-based Synthesia already creates hyper-realistic AI avatars, complete with lip sync, gestures and body language. Unlike humans, these avatars aren’t subject to fatigue or mood swings, they can always present the best version of us. Could they soon take over not just dating and relationship evaluation, but also reading and interpreting books, joining team meetings, or even advising corporate boards? The possibilities seem infinite.
Our Avatars May Soon Do Much for Us
