Foreign media Tech in Asia recently highlighted the rise of digital virtual human bodies. Unlike traditional robots, these virtual clones don’t have physical forms. A California-based startup called ObEN, which focuses on "personalized artificial intelligence," is collaborating with South Korean entertainment companies to create digital avatars for popular music stars. These avatars can interact with fans more frequently and in new ways. Virtual cloning also allows for emotional responses, making it useful in customer service, healthcare, education, and more. ObEN has been backed by Japanese tech giant Softbank and Chinese investor Tencent.
"What if there was another me playing with my kids?" Nikhil Jain asked himself after struggling to balance work and family life. As CEO of ObEN, he often travels to Asia monthly, leaving his children behind. This inspired him to start ObEN in 2014 with co-founder Adam Zheng, aiming to develop personalized AI (PAI) – a digital avatar that can perform tasks you don’t have time for or can't do yourself.
"You can train it to be useful," says Jain, who was born in Mumbai. "I can't speak Chinese, but my personal AI can." While many engineers have long pursued realistic humanoid robots, ObEN takes a different approach: no physical body. Instead, they focus on creating 3D virtual avatars with voice, appearance, and smart enough to handle simple tasks like customer service, reading aloud, or interacting with fans.
ObEN is working with SM Entertainment, a major South Korean entertainment company, to build PAI for K-pop stars. In June, the two launched a joint venture in Hong Kong called AI Stars Limited. "Stars want to engage more with fans," explains Jain. "AI can be available 24/7, connecting with an unlimited number of people."
Korean pop music generated $4.7 billion in sales last year, with groups like EXO selling over a million records this year. Through partnerships with talent agencies, ObEN gains access to exclusive data, enabling one-on-one Q&A sessions between stars and fans. Fans often want to know about their idols' daily lives, such as what they eat or what movies they like.
ObEN plans to launch its first celebrity avatars mid-2024. It’s also partnering with Bollywood stars, tapping into India's booming entertainment market, which is expected to reach $3.7 billion by 2020.
Beyond productivity, virtual avatars could reshape how businesses and users interact. Companies can gather insights on how people respond to their digital representations and refine services accordingly. For example, Jain can observe how his child interacts with his PAI when he's away, seeing what they say and how the AI responds.
Stars can also gain deeper insights into their fans through their avatars. John Zimmerman, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, notes that while fans follow artists closely, they rarely get direct interaction. With AI, celebrities can see fan activities and express gratitude during offline meetings. "They can't personalize contact with individual fans," he says.
Some AI startups are even adding nuanced emotions to their avatars, like subtle facial expressions and emotional reactions. New Zealand-based Soul Machines, spun off from the University of Auckland, developed a "virtual nervous system" that simulates brain chemistry effects, such as dopamine spikes. For instance, sudden loud noises might scare the AI, and if you laugh, it will smile back, adapting to your personality over time.
"Face-to-face interaction is key to emotional connection," says Greg Cross, chief commercial officer at Soul Machines. "It opens up non-verbal communication channels." He believes that as humans interact more with machines, having a face will become increasingly important in future human-computer interactions.
In November, Soul Machines announced a partnership with Autodesk to create a 24/7 customer service specialist, set for release in 2018. The company is also exploring other applications, like virtual trainers, healthcare providers, teachers, and interactive toys for children.
While AI avatars offer benefits, they also raise ethical concerns. For example, virtual agents could exploit emotional vulnerabilities to influence purchases. However, Cross highlights positive uses, such as helping PTSD patients through therapeutic avatars. "More people suffer from depression or addiction because they can't manage their emotions," he says. "We can help build support systems."
The impact of digital avatars on society is still unclear. Both ObEN and Soul Machines are still developing their products, working closely with clients to tailor avatars. Current AI still struggles with natural language understanding, and overcoming the "Uncanny Valley" effect remains a challenge.
Companies must also figure out how to monetize these avatars. Startups currently treat them as licensed characters for specific projects. Soul Machines plans to charge based on usage, while others may allow third-party developers to build apps around celebrities or sports stars.
Despite potential, challenges remain. High-resolution avatars require powerful GPUs, limiting accessibility to smartphones. Chester Luo from Reality Reflection says, "Hardware limitations are slowing down development." Creating HD avatars can take up to eight weeks, and some startups, like ObEN, opt for lower fidelity to make their AI accessible on mobile devices.
Short-term goals include simple O2O applications, like QR code interactions or WeChat integrations. ObEN is also working with Tencent on a Facebook Spaces-style app. Meanwhile, legal and ethical issues loom large. Intellectual property protection becomes critical as avatars become more lifelike, raising fears of misuse, such as ex-partners using a person's digital clone for manipulation.
"Can an ex keep a copy of your avatar after you break up?" asks Zimmerman. "Is that really you? Shouldn't you have control over it?" As AI imitates humans more closely, defining boundaries becomes essential.
Blockchain technology is being explored to protect digital assets. ObEN partners with Project PAI, using blockchain for verification and licensing. Reality Reflection is also investigating similar solutions to prevent unauthorized replication of avatars.
As the industry evolves, new legal frameworks may be needed to govern digital identities. If individuals can license their avatars, should they also have control over how they’re used? The concept of digital ownership—especially when it involves a version of oneself—is becoming complex.
"Developing new ethics and regulations is part of our progress," says Zimmerman. "We'll have to make mistakes to find the right path."
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