A few weeks after our first masterclass on "AI at the service of business" coordinated by Ye Seul Kim, Bullo and Lazzini, LFM University began releasing a series of update articles on the various applications of AI in various sectors, to help better understand the phenomenon and explore its various opportunities. Today we will talk about AI in the world of avatars, a service that LFM has started offering to its customers this year and has attracted great interest.

Tecnology beyond an AVATAR

Digital avatars are gaining traction in numerous industries due to their ability to provide personalized, immersive interactions.

Creating a digital avatar involves several advanced technologies. Initially, 3D modeling is employed to create a realistic digital representation of the avatar, using specialized software. Texture mapping is then used to apply surface details to the avatar, such as colors and textures. To animate the avatar, computer animation techniques are used, which may include motion capture to achieve natural, fluid movements. Text-to-speech (TTS) and speech recognition are key technologies to enable avatars to speak and interact naturally. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) play a crucial role in equipping avatars with advanced learning and interaction capabilities, allowing them to respond appropriately to user requests and continuously learn from new information and interactions. Furthermore, real-time processing and virtual (VR) or augmented reality (AR) can be used to provide immersive and interactive experiences with digital avatars in different contexts, such as training, product presentations, or assistance clients.

Application in Education

Avatars in education: excellent for personalization, cost efficiency and engagement

In the education sector, digital avatars represent a valuable resource for enriching and personalizing the learning experience, especially in a distance learning context, which has become increasingly prevalent following the COVID-19 pandemic. Avatars, embodying tutor figures or virtual companions, can offer immediate and interactive support to students, answering questions, providing feedback and guiding through the learning material in a personalized way. This type of interaction can mitigate the feeling of isolation that sometimes accompanies online learning. Additionally, avatars can animate virtual simulations that allow students to explore complex concepts in an interactive three-dimensional environment, making learning more tangible and engaging. For example, avatars can guide students through virtual science experiments, historical explorations, or complex mathematical situations, providing visual context that can help them better understand abstract theories. This visual immersion can stimulate students' curiosity and enthusiasm, promoting a deeper understanding of the material. Additionally, gamification techniques, often incorporated through the use of avatars, can increase student motivation and engagement, making learning not only more effective, but also fun. Through these applications, digital avatars are helping to create more effective, interactive, and humanized distance learning environments that can adapt to students' individual needs more effectively than traditional online education methods.

AI AVATARS in e-learning can bring several benefits:

1.CUSTOMIZATION
Creating dedicated avatars that vary depending on the audience we are addressing can be a huge added value on the business side. Let's think for example on a large scale, a multinational company that provides services in different markets can think of customizing training for its employees with avatars that speak the local language, that are closer to the features of the local population, or even wear clothes of the site. This aspect certainly helps to be more on the same page.


ENGAGEMENT:
Animated avatars, equipped with facial expressions and speech, are certainly much more engaging than boring slides with supporting vowels. Attention in training is not an aspect to be underestimated and the fact of being able to count on AVATARS that engage the audience in e-learning is a real added value for every business.


COST EFFECTIVENESS:
Creating an online training course with AVATAR is certainly less expensive than recording a training with people. Imagine the cost of having to rent a space, finding a person with the standing to present, the recording time which includes the various "takes" because certainly human error and the possibility of "good first time" is usually a mirage.

FLEXIBILITY: How many times have you had to record content from scratch because the information is no longer valid??? Today with AVATARS it is possible to update information in an extremely fast timeframe, making your content always up to date.


The applications of AVATARS in retail trade

These virtual representatives are transforming not only the world of e-learning but also the way customers interact with brands online. In fact, avatars are able to offer 24/7 customer service, conduct product presentations and significantly improve the online shopping experience. But how exactly do they work and what are their practical advantages? Let's see it together.

24/7 Customer Support Thanks to digital avatars, customers can receive answers to their questions at any time of the day or night. Imagine you want to buy a pair of shoes online at midnight and you have a question about the size. Instead of waiting until the next day for a response, an avatar can give you the information you need immediately.

In 2018, H&M launched a virtual assistant and chatbot called "Ada" for its & Other Stories retail chain. Ada was available on the brand's website and assisted customers in purchasing online, providing real-time answers to questions, suggesting products and guiding customers through the purchasing process. The chatbot was designed to simplify the online shopping experience and provide immediate assistance, similar to what one might receive in a physical store.

Product Presentations Avatars

can also be programmed to present products interactively. Instead of simply reading a product description, customers can see an avatar that displays the product, explains its features and answers specific questions. Today there are several applications already in existence in the fashion world, where we are increasingly witnessing the proliferation of digital models who literally supplant the world of "traditional" communication

Improve the Online Shopping Experience

With an avatar, the online shopping experience becomes more engaging and personalized. Avatars can suggest products based on customer preferences, offer personalized discounts, or even tell stories about the brand. This phenomenon is also being accompanied by the proliferation of AI-powered chatbots that are able to provide continuous and advanced online assistance, reducing management volumes for call centers and increasing engagement with the customer.

I servizi AVATAR LFM per il retail ed il marketing

We are facing an increasingly massive revolution in the way we communicate and provide training. And this is why LFM has begun to introduce, thanks to its marketing division and its partners, personalized avatar services for its customers with applications both on the training and e-learning side and on the online communication side. If you are interested in this service, you can write to us and we will be happy to give you more information!