AIInsight

In a recent article, I stated that these were exciting times for Artificial Intelligence. I looked forward to seeing what new developments would bring and how Ai capabilities could streamline our workflows. I may have to retract my enthusiasm.

EmbodyMe’s Xpression chat combines ChatGPT with a library of 50 voices, allowing you to converse with anyone you choose. Simply upload a photo, select your preferred voice, and watch as your unsettling abomination springs to life. It’s like talking to the real thing! Er… sort of.

The main selling point behind the app is that you can, quite literally, talk to anyone you choose, dead or alive: Family, friends, celebrities, the one that got away, fictional characters, and, even more unnervingly, pets.

The technology behind EmbodyMe is the pre-existing Xpression Camera app, which animates photos to make it look like they’re talking. ChatGPT’s human-like responses add another ingredient to the mix. Fifty unique voices take the chaos to another level.

EmbodyMe believes the app will primarily serve as a way for businesses to make customer-chatbot interactions more personal. I think this is wishful thinking. If anything, the program makes talking to a chatbot feel even more unnatural.

Chatting in an AI-generated text chat is terrible enough on its own. Add in an unnerving, smiling creature that stares into your soul while delivering auto-generated responses with unnatural intonation, and you’ve just had a run-in with the creepiest sales rep of all time. It’s all a bit uncanny valley.

Let’s be honest. EmbodyMe will primarily be used as a roleplay simulator for people looking to chat with their crushes. Even the app’s description supports this, proudly announcing that you can “build the courage to declare your feelings to your secret love by practicing with their interactive image”. Unnerving, for sure, and probably bad advice, especially when your crush doesn’t offer up exactly the same responses as an AI chatbot.

The AI revolution is entering full swing, and I already wish we could turn back time. But let’s remain optimistic. Perhaps this is the perfect opportunity to find out what’s really going on in Elon Musk’s head.

You can try EmbodyMe’s Xpression Chat today by visiting the website. Users can chat with default images for free up to five times daily. To unlock custom photos and unlimited chats, you’ll need to pay $7.99 per week or $79.99 per year. Or, if you’re feeling inclined, you can buy a lifetime subscription for $249.99. Hey, I won’t judge.