Google AI Avatars Offer Expert Advice

The journey of generative AI continues to take fascinating and sometimes perplexing turns, as we are consistently told about the immense value and utility such experiences will supposedly bring. While this potential for value could indeed materialize, some of the pathways being explored to achieve it are, to say the least, unconventional.

Introducing Google Portraits Your AI Expert

A prime example of this is Google's latest AI experiment, unveiled today, called "Portraits". Essentially, these are AI-generated depictions of famous individuals, designed to offer conversational advice and notes in the voice of the person they are based on.

As Google explains:

"Portraits, a new experiment from Google Labs, lets you interact conversationally with AI representations of trusted experts, built in partnership with the experts themselves. Our first Portrait features Kim Scott, bestselling author of “Radical Candor,” and offers AI-powered coaching inspired by her renowned communication and leadership principles."

The idea of receiving coaching from an automated system, built upon machine learning prompts, certainly makes one pause and consider the implications.

"Imagine having direct access to Kim's guidance to navigate tough workplace situations or practice difficult conversations. Simply ask your questions, and the Portrait will use Gemini’s understanding and reasoning capabilities to generate a relevant and insightful response, drawing directly from Kim's content and speaking in her voice via an illustrated avatar."

How Do AI Portraits Work

So, in essence, this is another method to access relevant segments of advice from a specific individual through conversational prompts. Instead of reading all of Kim Scott’s books or memorizing her key approaches, the system promises easy access to pertinent sections, interpreted by Google's Gemini AI based on your query.

The Value Proposition Is It Truly Beneficial

But does this truly offer a beneficial experience? One might argue that a conversation with the actual expert offers a level of assurance and nuanced guidance that an AI system might struggle to replicate.

However, if this AI process can deliver similar advice, drawing from the comprehensive body of knowledge created by this person, then perhaps it is, in a way, a comparable offering. Maybe.

Google asserts that the unique value of Portraits lies in their direct connection to real-world trusted experts like Scott, who have actively contributed their knowledge and voice.

Google Assurances And Lingering Questions

"The foundation is the creator's authentic content, which ensures conversations stay focused on their specific areas of expertise. We’ve conducted extensive testing and implemented user feedback mechanisms to proactively identify and address potential problematic scenarios."

Despite these assurances, one might still presume that many experts would prefer to provide advice with the benefit of real-world context, and it's debatable whether the AI-generated advice will always be wholly relevant.

Yet, as a self-help tool offering expert-backed guidance, it could potentially be another positive application of AI systems.

The Broader Trend AI Avatars On The Rise

This isn't an isolated endeavor. Meta is also exploring similar concepts with AI versions of creators designed to respond to fans.

Meta’s hope is that this will create additional engagement opportunities without increasing the workload for creators. However, the perceived value is questionable, as users are not actually conversing with the real person.

The Human Element In AI Interaction

This begs the question: why create this human-like facade for what is, in fact, just an advanced chatbot?

Google's Portraits project is somewhat different, as it is specifically trained on each subject’s responses and outputs. Even so, it seems to miss the crucial element of celebrity or expert interaction: the actual, genuine interaction and connection itself.

Availability And Future Prospects

Regardless of these questions, it's another significant experiment in the AI space. It will be interesting to observe how users respond to these AI versions of high-profile individuals.

Google has announced that Portraits is now available in the U.S., and people can also register their interest in having their own Portrait depiction created.