Latest news with #digitalavatar
New York Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
He Sold His Likeness. Now His Avatar Is Shilling Supplements on TikTok.
Scott Jacqmein, a 52-year-old actor in Dallas, fields one or two texts a week from acquaintances and friends who are pretty sure they have seen him pitching a peculiar range of businesses on TikTok. There was an insurance-quote marketplace, a daily horoscope app, and a puzzle and brain teaser app, the last of which featured him speaking fluent Spanish. But the ads seem a little off to them. Mr. Jacqmein doesn't speak Spanish, he's missing his trademark facial hair, and the voice and gestures appear somewhat stilted. As it turns out, he didn't actually perform in any of the videos. Instead, the ads were made using his 'digital avatar,' fueled by artificial intelligence, after he licensed his likeness to TikTok last year. Now, a version of Mr. Jacqmein is out on the internet, peddling whatever an advertiser might want him to sell as long as it complies with TikTok's marketing guidelines. It's what Mr. Jacqmein signed up for, but now that he has seen his avatar out in the wild, he has regrets. 'I'm definitely not anti-A.I., and I'm not anti-TikTok,' Mr. Jacqmein said in an interview, explaining that he had been trying to build his career and thought that working with such a big platform might help. But 'you really don't know the ramifications of this,' he said. transcript 'I will cancel any home insurance and use SAFEU instead because it is cheaper.' [in Spanish] 'Knowing your birth date's meaning can help you understand yourself better.' Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
CNA
29-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CNA
You can now create your own uniquely Singapore digital avatar with SGMoji
Looking for a fun way to celebrate this year's National Day? Why not create your own digital avatar via SGMoji. Like Apple's Memojis but with a uniquely Singapore twist, these digital sticker packs were developed by creative agency DSTNCT in partnership with NDP 2025. You can have fun customising your look, complete with some quirky local touches ranging from accessories such as kopitiam coffee cups and MRT cards to clothes ranging from school uniforms and ethnic wear. "We live in a mobile era, Memojis have become commonplace in our social life - everyone wants to create a personalised version of themselves. But what was lacking before was a uniquely Singaporean flavour. That's where SGMoji comes in," said Matthew Zeng, managing director of DSTNCT. Crafted for all ages, each tap adds a piece of Singapore – whether it's the classic dragon playground or Singapore's shimmering skyline. Even homegrown personalities have joined in the fun, including NDP hosts Ebi Shankara, Siti Khalijah, Sonia Chew and Joakim Gomez, as well as other local celebrities like Suhaimi Yusof, Glenn Yong, Irene Ang and Pat Mok.
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Apple acquires TrueMeeting to boost Vision Pro capabilities
Apple has acquired Israeli startup TrueMeeting, a firm engaged in developing digital avatar technology for video calls and augmented reality. The acquisition, which occurred in January 2025, aims to advance the capabilities of Apple's Vision Pro smart glasses, released in 2024. This deal, which was not officially announced by Apple, was authorised by the Israeli Competition Authority earlier in 2025, reported Israeli daily financial newspaper Globes. TrueMeeting's technology leverages smartphone scanning to create digital avatars that replicate users' facial movements and expressions in real time. This innovation is intended to improve virtual interactions by providing a more lifelike representation in digital meetings. Apple plans to implement this technology into the Personas feature of its Vision Pro glasses, addressing user feedback about previous iterations lacking realism. Persona uses machine learning to create real-time digital representations of users, reflecting facial expressions and hand movements. It is compatible with third-party apps like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Cisco Webex, according to Apple. TrueMeeting, originally known as CommonGround, was founded by industry veterans Amir Bassan-Eskanazi and Ran Oz. Before being acquired by Apple, the company raised $45m (NIS149m) from investors including Grove Ventures, Matrix Partners, StageOne Ventures, and private backers like Check Point founder Gil Shwed. Post-acquisition, around 20 of TrueMeeting's employees will integrate into Apple's development centre in Israel. Financial specifics of the transaction remain undisclosed. This acquisition aligns with Apple's history of integrating Israeli innovations to enhance its product offerings. Previous acquisitions include Anobit Technologies in 2011 and PrimeSense in 2013, each contributing significant technological advancements such as flash memory optimisation and motion-sensing capabilities. Other notable Israeli acquisitions feature LinX Computational Imaging in 2015, RealFace in 2017, and Camerai in 2019. In June 2025, Apple introduced new Apple Intelligence features aimed at enriching user experience across its device ecosystem, including the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Vision Pro. These features provide functionalities like Live Translation and updates to visual intelligence. The enhancements are currently available for testing and are expected to be rolled out this autumn. "Apple acquires TrueMeeting to boost Vision Pro capabilities" was originally created and published by Verdict, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Telegraph
08-05-2025
- Telegraph
The dead need their dignity, not to be resurrected by creepy AI bots
Christopher Pelkey has been dead for more than three years. Yet last month, he appeared at the sentencing hearing of the man who killed him. For the first time in American (and probably world) history, an AI avatar was allowed to testify in court. 'I believe in forgiveness, and in a God who forgives,' declared Mr Pelkey's digital replica. Strictly speaking, he – it? – was not testifying on his/its own behalf. Arizona state law says that victims of crime – in this instance, Mr Pelkey's surviving relatives – can choose any medium through which to deliver their impact statements. 'All I kept coming back to was, what would Chris say?' explained his sister, Stacey Wales. She used old videos and photographs of her brother – a devout Christian, who was shot dead in a road rage incident – to help AI create what she calls a 'Frankenstein of love'. The choice of cultural reference is apt. Like Mary Shelley's monster, Mr Pelkey's digital resurrection inspires mixed feelings. The judge found it so moving that he addressed the avatar directly: 'I loved that AI, thank you for that. As angry as you are, as justifiably angry as the family is, I heard the forgiveness.' He then sentenced the murderer to 10 and a half years in jail: one year more than the state prosecutor had requested. This reaction is what ought to frighten us. AI is now so convincing that it can make us respond emotionally, even when we know it is only a robot in a dead man's clothing. There has been no meaningful public debate about the legal or ethical implications of putting new words into the mouths of the dead. But it is happening anyway. There is money to be made from digital resurrection, whether directly or at one remove. BBC Maestro has just launched an online writing course 'hosted' by a digital recreation of the late Agatha Christie. The idea that such a disciplined and professional writer could be used like this without her permission – dug up and turned into a ventriloquist's dummy – is, to put it mildly, unnerving. But at least this is a transparent commercial venture, with some of the royalties going to Christie's estate. More sinister, to my mind, are the companies who provide digital 'deadbots' for grieving relatives. For around $30, I could commission a basic 'resurrection' of my late father. It would look and sound like him and, because it would be trained on his emails, it would know all our in-jokes and family jargon. Just writing this makes me tempted. It has been eight years, and every day there is something I want to ask or tell him. But this is what grief is: the inescapable absence of someone you love. Trying to short-circuit the pain is merely to deny reality. Besides, the digital resurrectionists will inevitably start making advertising deals, and I really don't want to witness my dead father trying to flog me an air-fryer. In 18th-century London, grave-robbers were able to get away with their grisly profession because the dead did not legally belong to anyone. Something similar is happening now. There are no laws in place to protect the dignity of the deceased, or the delicate feelings of the bereaved. The digital future has, once again, moved too fast for our lumbering imaginations to keep up with.
