QQ Shows from the 80s and Metaverse from the 15s

After a huge investment in virtual characters, virtual images are inundated with IPs for ordinary people. In the Gartner curve, this may be the key to applying the inflection point.

Virtual people will be the first in 2022.

The news that Byte's investment in 'Rewake' on January 6 has taken the reputation of the scam to the next level. In the past, Teresa Teng's "Resurrection" appeared at Jiangsu Satellite TV's New Year's Eve concert, and Liu Yexi's experience, which received 3 million followers in the video, further enhanced the passion of entertainment industry for virtual humans.

In fact, since Zuckerberg overstated the concept of the Metaverse in July 2021, tech companies have started to introduce the Metaverse to some degree. According to Business Information School, the data is incomplete, there are 18 significant investments and financial interactions with virtual people in the first market in China since July 2021.

Companies are actively fundraising and releasing new virtual characters, which are short films like Liu Yexi and Li Weike, as well as IP organizations like Cui Xiaopan, an employee of Vanke. , and IP Stars such as Tasman.

However, many people will still have a lot of skepticism about fake symbols.

Ultimately, virtual digital people became something familiar to people on the one hand, but on the other hand, what is the difference between modern virtual people and QQ in the past? Are virtual idols and existing 2D images considered virtual characters? What is the difference between these characters and current fiction?

Following these questions, you will notice that the current virtual number and the previous avatar are not clearly marked. And if you want to clarify the two things in this process,Nowadays, many virtual digital people cannot be called “virtual digital people”.

Most "virtual people" are

Advanced version of QQ Show

What do you mean by virtual digital?

According to Cheng Weizhong, founder and CEO of Zhongke Shenzhi, as long as they can move, have faces and other structures, and can interact with real people, they should be included in the category of virtual people.

In commercial research and translation studies, virtual humans are also a very broad concept. For example, under the theme of "White Paper on Virtual Digital Human Development 2020" provided by the China Alliance for Smart Industry Development,Virtual digital people can be divided into two groups: service type and personal type. It can be divided into AI help, other life support, virtual anchor, virtual number, etc.

However, from a unique perspective, the main character played by Reynolds in “Broadcast Control Player,” often thought of as a translation of the Metaverse, is part of the program code. Currently, the game can only perform certain configuration tasks.

However, due to "out of control" the real estate program started to act on some external sites, making it a "virtual person" in the truest sense of the word.

The characteristics of the so-called "people" refer to the ability to make independent decisions and decisions and to have independence in one place.

Judging by the incarnation of the most virtual digital people like Luo Tianyi or Liu Yexi, not only are their portraits identical to humans, but they really have a whole bunch of writer and creative director after him. Everything that unfolds in front of us is interpreted as a script, which is no different from the stereotypical NPCs in the game.

So from this point of view, the fake characters are not real characters anymore, they are called "virtual dolls" and the top of the line QQ shows the best of that.

From a visual standpoint, or from what these companies are doing in people today, it's the “face” that is on everyone's mind. What they are looking for is an easier way to use technology to build us up in the online world.

Therefore, although they are now used by many companies, deep learning algorithms and real-time technology outputs are at the heart of the old technology that was previously used for movies and TV specials, thus making them accessible to all. Create cinematic virtual images on your network.

From this perspective,The result of real characters isn't just for the pictures, after all. AI capabilities like robots and technologies like industrial robotic arms will be needed to help people switch jobs easily, over and over again.

For example, according to Vanke Chairman Yu Liang, 2021 Best Person of the Year and Vanke's Digital Virtual Person Cui Xiaopan said that Cui Xiaopan quickly learned that people can explore process and data at using process algorithms, the circle of friends. said in the solution is a thousand times more than people in the reports on various receipts / balances and verification of abnormal transactions, and the cost of deducting payments made before which he called up to 91.44%.

(CCTV AI sign anchor)

Another example is the first AI language signature anchor developed by CCTV News and Baidu Smart Cloud in November of last year, which can not only provide error-free language services to visitors every year, but also work on services of translation during the winter. . Olympic.

So the key to these virtual digital people is not just to create external images. It specializes in intelligent voice interaction technology, image recognition and other technologies behind “human” imagery, and has developed a suite of decision support systems to meet these needs.

From the current point of view, many skeptics have used this technology for the production process, but they have spent more and more to create inexpensive virtual images for information, decision making and advice. Another app which can make digital data smarter.

In this regard, in addition to events such as virtual anchor, virtual idol, virtual spokesperson, etc., there will be many application scenarios for virtual digital people, and also may change / add other circumstances required. Created by people involved in service projects.

For example, during Neiflix's 2018 sci-fi show "Carbon Change", the hotel where main character Joel Kinnaman was staying was a hotel designed as a virtual themed device equipped with virtual human intelligence. ) from reception to receptionist. platform.

These will be the roles that real virtual people will have to play in the future.

(Director of Hotel AI for 'Carbon Switch')

person who creates virtual people

Looking back, if we look at the current virtual digital human business chain, we can see that capital favors symbols in the capitalization and financial examples above, which can be divided into two values.

One is the design and implementation of a virtual human IP.

For example, after receiving millions in pre-A grants in June last year, Burnmai Technology is heavily involved in the development of surreal digital human stories and transport, industry autonomy, derivatives and free trade.

Shiyue Xingcheng, who acquired an angel financial environment led by NetEase in December of last year, is mainly involved in the R&D and processing of products and content such as virtual, digital and virtual clothing in the market trends of the fashion. His three virtual human IPs - Vila, Reddi and Vince have collaborated with many brands such as Gucci, Max Mara, Air Jordan, China Li Ning and more.

The Next World culture has also created a great corporate image around digital people. On the B side, World Culture produces Dili Lengba and Taosman avatars for stars like Dilireba and Huang Zitao, and Beco, Huaxizi and Diandianzi avatars for brands like IDo Jewelry, Huaxizi and Yili Jindian. On Page C, Next Generation Culture also created their own IP images of fictional characters like Nan Mengxia, a style and ethnicity girl, and Ling Ling, who appeared in various "Youth Paint" shows.

(Dilava et son avatar Dili Lemba)

Their strength lies in their experience in IP modification and operations.For example, Ranmai Technology has the experience and ability to build online celebrity with over 100 million fans last year before entering the AYAYI human virtual human life established by the now 121,000 company in Xiaohongshu. Fans.

However, it also shows that these companies still consider virtual idols when exploiting virtual characters. After that it's a team of content experts, editing all the content, collaborating, writing and finally naming your virtual image.

Importantly, the fake symbols we see on the front seats are only representative of the entire group behind them.

Unlike companies that create and operate virtual human IPs,Another category is companies that focus on virtual digital human technology.

For example, Shiyou Technology, a full-fledged technology provider who completed the first phase of around $ 10 million on January 9 this year, has taken notice of the technology. Aging is important as a rhythm and timing of digital people. Puppeteer Virtual Factory's high-speed, real-time virtual content creation system itself creates the ability to "configure" virtual content output through real-time motion capture, show capture, and live rendering. real time.

Mopa Technology, which achieved hundreds of millions of yuan in Series A funding in June 2019, focuses on technologies such as real-time AI animation, real-time rendering, and real-time computing. It can not only complete the design and operation of the virtual human, but also create a three-dimensional AI virtual human function platform to provide end-to-end virtual advertising services to low-income businesses.

Last November, PhaseCore Technology received funding of 70 million yuan, and with long experience in the field of 3D modeling, animation and rendering technology, a self-developed virtual digital human machine and platform- hyper-realistic digital shape to support technology to deliver virtual reality to humans.

Similarly, Zhongke Shenzhi, who received three funding grants last year, focused on technology development concepts in the field of AI XR, and developed a cross-platform space VR impact, AI interaction digital human, and virtual idols one after another. Translation system and virtual preview. , XR filming systems, and many other virtual human creation technologies can help virtual human content creation companies streamline the process of creating animated films, as well as help business users realize quickly in virtual media. .

However, as mentioned earlier, by consensus, most companies have focused on reducing the cost of creating virtual images and simplifying the production process.

For example, when Doug Roble, director of digital technology at Digital Domain, the company that created Teresa Teng's virtual images, began researching and developing digital technology, creating the same Virtual digital people are often involved in data capture and design and in-depth information. neural networks of various forms of information that must be written down, and ultimately provide them by rendering ideas.

(Doug Roble writes down the data for each presentation)

Today, when past tasks and technology were mixed up, no special tools and only a camera were still needed to create virtual images.

However, the AI ​​technology that can help realize the interaction of virtual humans does not have the special performance after deep learning algorithms. Human intelligence that can understand and make decisions still has a long way to go.

Why is Capital so proud of the real characters?

Not all skeptics are real, but why should investors still be fooled? Are false positives now the bubble or the IQ tax?

First of all, it should be made clear that technological improvements do not happen overnight, and achieving virtual human realization requires a long-term development process. After more than a decade of precipitation, some improvements have been made to human virtual machines, but there is still a long way to go.

On the other hand, the market for virtual humans is already huge and mature.

For example, the cost of producing a virtual anchor plane has hit a very low level thanks to the many companies mentioned above investing in virtual machine users.

As the "Chuangmengyi" virtual advertising medium launched in July 2020 by Zhongke Shenzhi as an example, the product value is 3,588 yuan per year, less than 10 yuan per day on average. The software contains more than 100 different virtual anchor characters, as well as more than 100 2D and 3D scenes to meet different cargo needs. , sound, etc. can. , lwm. And more ways to become role-based.

(Exposition de 'Little K Live' par Yunbot Technology)

In terms of fun virtual anchors, Yunbo Technology not only provides full 3D virtualization solutions, but also released advanced technologies such as "small K video motion capture", which allows ordinary users to create virtual images in one click free. , but also knowing how to realize that it is not necessary to wear it. All hardware capture tools can only rely on the same camera to achieve real-time accurate 3D capture of body, fingers, face, etc.

The use of this technology has reduced the impact on access to virtual anchors. According to Bilibili's second quarter financial statements, virtual anchors have become the largest group Bilibili can live on. According to 'vtbs.moe', the virtual anchor information monitoring platform, applications and gifts for station B virtual idols increased by 350% last year compared to last year.

In addition to vacuuming and lowering the starting point, more and more players are joining the virtual anchor, and more importantly, the cost of the virtual anchor head is increasing on the business side.

Take the example of the first virtual idol Luo Tianyi, in the media with Li Jiaqi in 2020, the value of the pit reached 900,000, more than the same main anchor point, but only 60 Luo Yonghao from Wan. . And that also explains the way in the virtual anchor market.

Additionally, virtual humans can be used for all aspects of real life. For example, in the movie "Blade Runner 2049", the giant avatar became an important source of advertising and content. Now, even in real life, this announcement has been further reinforced by the use of virtual humans.

All of the above at the same time allows the virtual human race track to have more room for imagination.

(Image : 'Blade Runner 2049')

Finally,Many entrepreneurs and marketers eagerly awaiting the metaverse also have high hopes for digital virtual reality, a line called 'access to the metaverse'.

For example, after investing in the next generation, Shunwei Capital Vice President Feng Zheng said, "The digital human is the first way to interact with the virtual world, and the 'APP', the "robot" and the "ID" of the virtual world. "

Cheng Weizhong, founder and CEO of Zhongke Zhishen, believes that the biggest difference between the metaverse and the mobile internet is that we will go through the interaction of cellphones and computers to exchange autonomously to interact with virtual people. . Submit information.

So, in the future, virtual humans will be the most interactive interface for users in the metaverse.

Virtual characters and metaverse are similar to WeChat mobile online. Anyone who can prevent users from entering the metaverse and integrate the relationship user relationship into the metaverse can drive the future of the metaverse and extend it to another somewhere.

Perhaps the QQ expression of the generation after the 80s is the metaverse of the generation after the 15s.

It's just a good idea, but while the virtual digital person can bear the burden of being a "portal" to the metaverse, it will take longer to test.