Microsoft is adding a new dimension to its artificial intelligence (AI) assistant, Copilot. This move is to engage users with an animated face during conversations. It’s an experimental feature tagged ‘Portraits,’ currently available to selected users in the US, UK, and Canada. Portraits provide a broad range of 40 human avatars, all expressing with natural facial expressions during real-time voice dialogues.
The Copilot team developed the Portraits feature after receiving feedback from some users—users who stated that attaching a face to voice communications would enhance their user experience. According to Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman, this unique offering allows users to choose an avatar and combine it with a voice. The ultimate goal here is to make verbal dialogues with Copilot seem more personable, a significant shift from the regular text-based exchanges.
This recent development is Microsoft’s continual effort in making its AI chatbot more appealing for communication. Though not the first of its kind, it precedes a similar feature, ‘Copilot Appearances,’ announced in July. However, Portraits differentiates itself by its human-like avatars as opposed to the animated avatars in the latter.
Beyond the introduction of friendly faces, the innovation is tech-heavy behind the scenes. It leverages VASA-1, a high-end AI tool developed by Microsoft Research. This allows Copilot to create real-time, visual AI discussions with users. Consequently, it can accurately mirror natural facial expressions, head movements, lip-sync from just one image, discarding the need for complex 3D modelling.
In the quest for a more interactive AI experience, Microsoft is not alone. Rival AI provider X, previously introduced 3D avatars for its Grok chatbot, including an anime-inspired AI girlfriend companion. However, Microsoft, adopting a cautious approach to Portraits’ rollout, is cautious about any potential harmful interaction between users and AI—bringing to memory the issues facing rival chatbots like Character.AI.
Microsoft assured users that safety was a priority in the creation of the Portraits experiment. In its words, “Each portrait is intentionally stylized and not photorealistic, offering you visual variety while offering the same trusted Copilot intelligence and safety features you rely on.” Presently, the feature is only available to a restricted number of users who are 18 years or above. Other measures include session and daily time limits to interaction with detailed indicators that one is engaging with AI technology.
Microsoft’s pursuit of a more interactive and personable AI experience is indeed a fantastic stride in the AI market. However, as it improves these features, users will be keeping a keen eye on how it balances the conversational feel and safety.
Article source: The Verge.
