NVIDIA Is Using This NZ Startup to Put a Face To AI

Recently we made a big deal out of the total market dominance NVIDIA has fallen into in the AI space for it’s GPU capabilities. They aren’t stopping there though. They’re also developing software called NVIDIA Avatar Cloud Engine, which allows developers to insert digital humans into spaces to be interacted with. Essentially they are creating the next generation of NPCs, that can speak and react to almost anything.

One of the partnerships done to make this possible was integrating NZ Startup UneeQ’s Synanim AI animation solution. This tech automatically orchestrates behavior and intelligence such as voice, language, dialect, pronunciation, emotion, memory, and knowledge as well as large language models, company data, and trusted sources of information to improve brand safety and prevent hallucinations

“We are incredibly proud to be a part of NVIDIA’s journey in bringing cutting-edge digital human technology to life,” says Danny Tomsett, CEO of UneeQ. “UneeQ is collaborating with NVIDIA to achieve the highest quality of aliveness, helping set a new standard for the future of interactive experiences,” Tomsett added.

The need for digital humans is growing every day and this startup was just in time to be part of the wave when it started in 2010. Alright by just in time I mean they had a decade and a bit to get their ducks in a row for a massive explosion in the industry. In 2023 they were prepared when OpenAI’s GPT-3 model dropped on the world like bombshell. Their digital human Sophie was able to get hooked into it so she was able to talk about anything at all.

The chatbot market topped out at about $5 billion, but the market for digital humans is excepted to be worth $125 billion as 50% of B2b buyers will be interacting with some form of digital human by 2026 according to data from Gartner.

NVIDIA isn’t UneeQ’s only high profile partner. Earlier this year they worked with Qatar Airways to create Sama 2.0, a digital human that can help customers through their travel experience while embedded inside an interactive 3D map of the airport and plane.

“Sama embodies UneeQ’s commitment to blending technology with empathy and personalisation, providing an innovative solution that aligns with Qatar Airways’ reputation for world-class service.” says Tomsett. “She’s a testament to the endless possibilities of AI, capable of delivering personalised and engaging interactions that mirror human conversation.”

You can test drive the tech yourself at UneeQs website, or check out Qatar’s version here.