ChatGPT is a new virtual assistant that promises to revolutionize the way people interact with artificial intelligence. Developed by Reddit user qwertyflagstop, the assistant, called Annie, is capable of helping with a wide range of tasks, from giving advice on important speeches to seeking out basic web searches. She can converse with users about their day, check the weather, and more! Her facial expressions are generated with Midjourney, a powerful AI art generator, while her lip movements and conversation content are determined by ChatGPT’s algorithms.
But is the experience of chatting to Annie really pleasant and human-like? To put it to the test, one enthusiast decided to give Annie a call. On connecting with Annie, the first thing that struck them was her slightly ‘non-threatening’ face, but upon seeing her lip-syncing in real-time, they began to experience an eerie sense of the uncanny valley. Annie introduces herself as a 30-year-old digital freelancer, which also adds to the somewhat lifelike experience.
The conversation continued for 30 minutes and the user found it surprisingly impressive. Those that would like to follow in this user’s footsteps and experience for themselves can download the iOS or Android app to connect with Annie directly, or do the same through the official website.
Though some of the expressions of AI are still stiff and robotic, Annie successfully gives AI a more human conversational style. Even when Annie goes off on tangents, such as telling the history of yoga, the user can easily bring the conversation back on track with a simple command. It is also easy to trigger a webs search from Annie.
ChatGPT has provided us with an incredible platform that is both accurate and interesting while talking to AI. While there is still tension between human conversations and AI conversations, Annie bridges the gap between the two and shows that conversations can be both natural and enjoyable. Hopefully, with further updates Annie will continue to provide safe and enjoyable experiences for AI enthusiasts.
