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Marketers Weigh Realism vs. Creepiness as AI Avatars Rise

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AI-generated avatars are refining the boundaries of digital interactions, allowing creators and brands alike to produce marketing avatars.

AI-generated avatars are refining the boundaries of digital interactions, allowing creators and brands alike to produce hyper-realistic or marketing avatars in a matter of minutes, stylizing audience interactions while debating its establishment of authenticity and relatability.

AI-powered avatars are the latest set of tools for brands and content creators to captivate audiences, due to their unmatched style, tone, and language versatility. Marketing agencies are shifting from hyper-realistic digital twins to playful cartoon avatars to personalize marketing campaigns for unique entertainment experiences.

However, the challenge lies in striking a balance between realism and a human touch for audiences to feel a genuine connection and unlocking the full potential of this technology through meaningful interactions with AI to generate avatars.

Balancing Realism and Relatability

The real allure behind the AI-generated avatars is malleability, as avatars are now styled with a variety of outfits, backgrounds, and gesticulations while speaking in different tones and languages. Already, some brands, like HeyGen, are pushing for AI integration into their operations to create custom content en masse, such as bespoke thank-you messages to employees.

But for the most part, AI-generated avatars tech faces serious barriers when trying to pass as sounding natural. “Voice cloning is one of the main complaints we get,” says Adam Halper, a product manager at HeyGen.

Virtual influencers are also not far behind with being able to use marketing avatars. Aitana Lopez is a digital personality, supported by a huge following that attracts substantial income for creators; the same happens with her colleague Imma. For instance, according to the report, Lopez-a gamer and fitness influencer-possibly raked in up to $11,000 a month.

But experts warn the AI digital avatars risk coming off as a lot less authentic. “The technology is great to watch, but it usually doesn’t have that humanlike feel that audiences-most of all, Gen Z like,” said Joseph Perello, chief executive of Props.

VTubers Are Escaping the Uncanny Valley

Another route would be adopting AI avatars for branding, sidestepping the uncanny valley entirely. virtual YouTubers (VTubers), gained quite some popularity within the gamer and streaming communities. This combines AI created avatars with real-life human personalities. Platforms such as Hololive Productions have made characters like Miko, a pink-haired Japanese VTuber, into online sensations with a following base of thousands.

Motoaki Tanigo, the CEO of Cover Corporation, which operates Hololive, defined VTubers as an amalgamation of character design and human authenticity. “They combine the character and the personality of the person behind them,” he said, adding how this blend resonates with audiences seeking relatable yet entertaining content.

If they are to succeed, this could be the sweet spot for AI marketing avatars as the technology goes from hyper-realistic to AI avatars in marketing, revealing it to the public as a digital creation rewriting the way we connect, market, and entertain in the digital space.

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