Digital Human to Host Speakers at the APEC CEO Summit 2021

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A digital human called Mia will be one of the four masters of ceremony (MC) playing host to speakers and delegates at the APEC CEO Summit on November 11-12.

Utilizing the latest in digital avatar and artificial intelligence (AI) innovation, Mia will join the three human MCs in welcoming, linking, and introducing speakers and panellists throughout the two-day virtual forum that is being broadcast from the Aotea Centre in Auckland, as noted in a release issued by APEC New Zealand and received here on Saturday.

Created by Auckland-based Soul Machines, Mia is a young, recently qualified journalist from Aotearoa, who is tackling her biggest assignment to date.

"One of the major themes of this summit is digital disruption that deals with transformation, technology, and innovation," APEC CEO Summit Executive Director Jonathan Alver noted.

"What better way to bring that to life than with a young digital human, who can interact with, respond to, and even learn from our keynote speakers, panellists, and her fellow MCs," he added.

Alver said that while avatars and AI have been in use in various ways in different sectors, it is something of a first to introduce a digital human, such as Mia, into a conference.

"We are also mindful that Mia is young and inexperienced, so we have been giving her lots of support to take on such a daunting first event," he stated.

Co-founder and CBO of Soul Machine, Greg Cross, revealed that Mia was developed using their Human OS 2.0 technology -- the newest iteration of the Soul Machine's autonomous animation platform.

"With this innovation, we are creating an astonishingly life-like digital workforce for the increasingly digital world in which we live and transact business. Digital workers, like Mia, can bring your ecommerce brand experiences to life today, help fill the gaps in our education and healthcare providers, and because they are 3D, they are ready for the rapidly evolving metaverse," Cross explained.

"For APEC we have supercharged Mia’s awareness of her surroundings that will allow for a truly immersive experience for the summit attendees,” he stated.

Read: APEC Summit; Jokowi Calls on Global Cooperation to Tackle Covid-19

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