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UK-based startup Synthesia, which uses AI to generate realistic avatars, has signed a licensing agreement with US stock video company Shutterstock to leverage Shutterstock's extensive video library to enhance the realism of its technology. While the financial terms of the deal remain undisclosed, Synthesia stated that this will help their latest AI model better capture human expressions, vocal tones, and body language. Synthesia creates digital...

Recent breakthroughs in generative AI have enabled AI avatars to not only possess lifelike appearances but also speak naturally and fluently. This technology, incorporating cutting-edge speech synthesis and facial expression generation capabilities, is rapidly blurring the lines between the digital and physical worlds, propelling AI from a behind-the-scenes tool to a direct conversational partner with humans. The emergence of these AI avatars marks a crucial step in the convergence of generative AI technologies. By seamlessly integrating highly realistic facial animation with natural speech synthesis, these avatars offer unprecedented potential for revolutionizing communication and interaction.

Recently, UK-based AI video generation company Synthesia announced the completion of a $180 million Series D funding round. Since its establishment in 2017, Synthesia has become a leader in the industry, serving over half of the Fortune 100 companies and producing millions of minutes of AI-generated video content each month. The company is dedicated to helping businesses efficiently create videos and virtual avatars to enhance their communication effectiveness and content dissemination capabilities. With this funding, Synthesia plans to further develop.

Recently, the WHEE platform introduced a new feature called 'IP Character Customization,' designed to help users convert 2D images into 3D models with one click and create their own unique IP characters. This innovative tool not only simplifies the transition from 2D to 3D but also provides users with limitless creative possibilities, allowing them to expand into more application scenarios.

With the rapid development of virtual reality and augmented reality technologies, the demand for personalized virtual avatars has become increasingly urgent. Recently, researchers proposed a new technology called URAvatar (Universal Relightable Gaussian Codec Avatar), which allows users to easily generate high-fidelity virtual avatars by scanning with their phones. This innovative achievement not only enhances the visual effects of virtual avatars but also enables users to drive and adjust their avatars in real-time under different lighting conditions. The working principle of URAvatar is based on a complex light transport model, and it differs from previous approaches.

Recently, a study conducted jointly by Ruhr University Bochum, GESIS Leibniz Institute, and CISPA Helmholtz Center revealed that accounts on X (formerly Twitter) using AI-generated avatars only account for 0.052% of all accounts. Researchers analyzed nearly 15 million X accounts and found that 7,723 accounts used AI-generated avatars. Image source note: Image generated by AI, image authorized by service provider Midjourney. These accounts exhibited significant characteristics.

AI video platform D-ID today announced the launch of two new virtual avatars — Express and Premium+, aimed at enhancing the quality and efficiency of content creation. More and more enterprises are looking to use more human-like AI avatars to ease the burden of video production, particularly in marketing, sales, and customer support. D-ID's new models are designed to secure a place in this competitive market. The training time for the Express avatar is approximately one minute of video.

The recently launched "AI One-Click Doll Generation" effect on Douyin has created a massive sensation on social media, with the popularity of a video proving the strong appeal of AI technology in the entertainment sector. An elderly man used this effect to create a cotton doll version of himself, and the video quickly went viral, garnering nearly 2 million likes and over 1.16 million shares. The comments section of this video became a creative stage for netizens, who not only engaged in lively discussions about the old man's video but also began attempting to transform classic scenes and memes from various films and dramas into doll figures.

Real to cartoon is a timeless trend on social platforms, continuously evolving with new methods. For example, I just discovered this interesting Flux LoRA, which is expected to become popular on Xiaohongshu soon. This LoRA generates 4 real photos and additionally overlays a corresponding cartoon character on top. The effect is somewhat similar to the recent trending Cotton Candy Dolls on Douyin, where real photos and cartoon characters are layered together in one image, with a white outline around the cartoon character to enhance contrast.

Tencent Hunyuan recently announced that its AI agent product 'Tencent Yuanqi' now supports publishing to WeChat Official Accounts, bringing several new features to account operators. These features include: real-time interaction with digital avatars, allowing account operators to create digital avatars for real-time interaction with fans, enhancing user engagement and experience.

Butterflies AI has launched a 'cloning' feature that allows users to upload a selfie, and the AI generates a digital avatar with a unique backstory and personality. This feature is designed to help users explore different life possibilities in a fun way. The generated AI characters can mimic users' experiences in specific scenarios, such as traveling. Founder Vu Tran, a former Snap engineer, aims to provide more engaging AI products beyond just chatbots. The app has successfully raised $4.8 million in funding and supports iOS and Android.

This article shares a method to use AI tools to convert real photos into cute 3D cartoon style images. No need to shoot a video; you can generate multiple styles of 3D cartoon images from just one photo. The article provides operational steps, including visiting the AIbase Jimeng official website, selecting a model, importing a photo, setting keywords, and generating different styles of 3D cartoon avatars. Additionally, the article covers material preparation, usage of the generation tools, and shares how to adjust the style of the generated images with keywords, such as plush style, hand-painted style, etc.

Meta has launched a new tool called 'AI Studio' on Instagram, allowing users in the U.S. to create personal AI avatars aimed at enhancing interaction with their fans. These AI avatars can communicate directly, reply to comments, and act as virtual representations of the user, accessible via web or app. Users can customize content, set interaction rules, and even enable automatic replies. The creation of AI avatars allows for customization, enabling them to resemble the user or generate entirely new characters for use across Meta's applications. This move aims to compete with Character.AI.

Meta has announced the shutdown of its celebrity chatbot project, which allowed users to interact with virtual avatars of celebrities. Despite significant promotion, the project is no longer in service. Meta's focus has shifted to AI Studio, a new tool that allows users to create their own chatbots. Initial projects included virtual characters such as Coco, Victor, and Amber, but they failed to meet expectations, particularly in attracting more celebrities, resulting in low returns on investment. Nevertheless, Meta remains committed to AI chat technology.

Meta recently announced the launch of a new tool called AI Studio, allowing users in the U.S. to create their own AI versions on Instagram or online. The company stated that creators and business owners can use these AI profiles to interact with fans, conversing directly in chat threads and responding to comments.