Samsung Technology and Advanced Research (STAR) Labs showcased its NEON “artificial humans” project at CES 2020. Over the last few days, a video surfaced showing what appeared to be very lifelike people. In some ways, they are even more life-like than many expected.
STAR Labs is a subsidiary of Samsung and one of the projects under the STAR Labs umbrella is NEON. Up until now, very little was known about NEON other than it was working on something new with the same-named brand behind the project releasing a number of teaser videos over the last couple of weeks. At this year’s CES 2020 event in Las Vegas, STAR Labs and NEON provided more details on what’s being worked on.
The NEON project is an attempt to create what the company refers to as “artificial humans.” In the simplest of terms, these are digital or virtual people designed to provide a human element to conversations and interactions. In spite of being artificial, the play here is very much on human intelligence instead of artificial intelligence. For example, the new website states these virtual beings look and behave like human beings. So much so that they even have the “ability to show emotions and intelligence.”
NEON Won’t Control Your Smart Home
Up until now, the preference for virtual assistants has been to make life easier at a functional level. That is, software that can do things for the user, such as switching on smart lights, or providing details on the weather or a daily schedule. NEON is not that type of help with the company explicitly explaining NEON cannot act as an interface to the internet. Instead, and like you, NEON is expected to think for itself, experience, and to some degree, feel. The company sums this point up by stating how NEON is “simply, a friend.”
While the language used here is spooky enough with the suggestion these NEONs are genuine free-thinking beings, it is likely most people will be more spooked by how lifelike they look. In images provided by the company, as well as limited video footage, these advanced avatars are largely indistinguishable from recordings of people. This is not just their appearance in general, but also their movements and general demeanor. However, that is the very point here with the NEON project looking to provide artificial entities that can emulate the experiences and conversations real people have with other real people, and in a way that real people forget they are talking to something that is actually artificial.
Of course, due to the nature of the technology and implementation, Star Labs and NEON appear to be being intentionally vague in the details they’ve provided. This includes explaining the technologies underlying these artificial humans, how they work and how smart they really are or could become. Therefore, the real version of these NEONs might not be as impressive or as lifelike as has been shown so far. This is an early stage for the NEON project and by the looks of it, the hype stage.
