New Zealand and Austin-based company UneeQ created an Albert Einstein chatbot in time for Einstein’s 100th year of being awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics, states Business Insider. The digital version of the genius is made in partnership with The Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Greenlight.
UneeQ is a startup company that specializes in creating digital humans and deepfakes for customer service and other chat applications.
The release of the Digital Companions project is to provide individuals with companionship and increased social interaction at a time when they are “isolated and deprived of social contact, such as during a pandemic,” states Fast Company.
In a press release, the chief executive officer of UneeQ, Danny Tomsett, said, “Mental health and companionship are long-standing problems facing our society today, of which COVID-19 has significantly exacerbated.”
“One of UneeQ’s core values is ‘Tech for Good,’ and we are actively seeking ways to apply our innovative solutions to that cause. As part of our new Companions series, Digital Einstein, among other digital humans, can communicate with people in a way that comes most naturally – using conversation, human expressions, and emotional responses to best provide daily interactions that we hope make a difference in people’s lives.”
Based on the firm’s use of artificial intelligence technology, UneeQ is able to capture the essence of Einstein. The Nerdist states that the company successfully simulates the look, voice, and mannerisms of the renowned genius based on the examples provided by the Hebrew University.
Through its programmed features, albeit limited ones, the Einstein chatbot is capable of providing answers to a number of specific questions. These questions typically revolve around Albert Einstein’s life, his achievements, scientific facts, and the like.
Apart from the German genius, Business Insider reveals that UneeQ came up with other personalities and companions that users can access. These include UBS’ chief economist Daniel Kalt and a health advisor designed particularly to address Covid-19-related concerns under an advisor named Sophie.
In addition to the participation of the Hebrew University in providing the likeness, image, and voice behind Digital Einstein, the startup company also worked with the likes of Aflorithmic who brought life to the genius’s voice.
Besides this, the press release mentions that the project would not have been made possible without the help of Goodbye Kansas Studios for the rendering of Digital Einstein and WolframAlpha for the intellectual responses it gave the chatbot.
As of writing, the Digital Einstein project can now be accessed on UneeQ’s website.
