Innovative AI avatars to revolutionise human-AI conversations

Portalis.AI, a cool startup hailing from Austin, Texas, has just come out of stealth mode, and they’ve got something pretty neat to show off – AI characters that are all about making our interactions with AI way more engaging and lifelike.

These AI characters, or avatars, are like digital buddies who can chat with you in a way that feels real. They’re not just text-based; they’re fully animated and can hold conversations with you. You can think of them as your digital companions in the AI world.

In a recent interview with GamesBeat, Todd Coleman, one of the co-founders of Portalis.AI, explained that their platform is all about giving creators the power to design, personalise, share, and interact with these AI-powered avatars. These avatars are a big leap beyond the chatbots we’re used to. They come complete with voice, video, and even memory capabilities, which means they can remember your previous interactions and make the conversation feel more natural.

Coleman got interested in AI after listening to a podcast. He thought it was fascinating and couldn’t resist buying a book about it, even though he found it quite hard to grasp at first. They decided to get some education in AI from the University of Texas at Austin and Carnegie Mellon University, which paved the way for Portalis.AI.

What makes Portalis.AI stand out is that they’re all about creating avatars that feel natural and seamless in their interactions with users. You don’t need to type your questions or messages; you can simply talk to these avatars, and they’ll respond in real time. This innovation has huge potential not just in entertainment but also in enterprise and education.

The cool part is that you can try this tech out for yourself. Portalis.AI is inviting creators to join their early access testing on their platform. You can design your own AI avatars, customising their looks, voices, and even scripting their activities.

These AI avatars are not just for personal use. Enterprises can use them too. Imagine having an AI character as a customer support agent, a virtual FAQ, or a brand ambassador on your website. It’s like having a friendly and knowledgeable AI team member available 24/7.

In some recent developments, Portalis.AI secured seed funding and welcomed Dan Graham as its COO, a real pro in the business world.

The word “portalis” is Latin for “portal.” And Coleman mentioned in an interview how it would be awesome to have a chat with characters like Buzz Lightyear, sparking their journey into the world of AI. They started this venture in January and now have a team of eight, working on AI technology and avatars with Pixar-level quality.

They even gave a demo of a conversation with an alien character named Alan, discussing Halloween traditions on Earth. These avatars could potentially have conversations with you over FaceTime or Zoom, opening up new possibilities for interactive storytelling and gaming.

Portalis.AI’s vision goes beyond just entertainment. They see immense potential in using their avatars for education. Imagine having a conversation with historical figures or experts to learn about different subjects.

But they’re also mindful of finding the right balance between AI and human creativity. They want AI to enhance our creativity, not replace it. It’s an exciting journey, and they’re working to make it as human as possible while optimizing computing resources.

So, exciting times ahead!