Faces - recognition, digital human challenge

How good is this photo ! – don’t appreciate without reading this post in full.

 

In life everyone craves for recognition.  As you see IPL match, you can observe when Camera zooms in – people would jump with joy, happy in seeing their face and feeling that they are being watched by millions – is that really any achievement.  

Every writer including those who scrabble on social media want recognition, want their writings to be read or atleast liked and commented upon.  

The human face is the most anterior portion of the human head. It refers to the area that extends from the superior margin of the forehead to the chin, and from one ear to another. The basic shape of the human face is determined by the underlying facial skeleton (i.e. viscerocranium), the facial muscles and the amount of subcutaneous tissue present. The face plays an important role in communication and the expression of emotions and mood. In addition, the basic shape and other features of the face provide our external identity.  

Back in 2001,  there was a BBC series ‘The Human Face’  that examined the science behind facial beauty, expression, and fame. Actor and comedian John Cleese investigated identity, perception, creativity and sexuality and their relation to the human face, combining art, technology and human interest stories. Paul Ekman served as scientific adviser.  Episode no. 4 concentrated on the ubiquity of famous faces on billboards, magazines, and movie screens, and the messages they carry about sex, politics, glamour and power. Considering Diana, Princess of Wales, Jackie Onassis, Marilyn Monroe, it detailed  the story of the face as icon, from Egyptian mummies to Hollywood stars.  

Every Company would like to give their customers richer and more engaging experiences. That’s one of the most effective ways to create and sustain competitive advantage. The challenge is to offer those experiences at scale without depersonalizing or commodifying them. Even where Company has  enough employees to offer individual service at scale, in many situations customers prefer to interact with someone of their own gender, age, or ethnic background—an impossible staffing task. For example, Deloitte UK found that human-staffed contact centers are not only more expensive to run but often deliver a less consistent customer experience than automated channels—and they sometimes generate negative customer-service experiences.  

Enter the digital human. Rapid progress in computer graphics, coupled with advances in artificial intelligence (AI), is now putting humanlike faces on chatbots and other computer-based interfaces. Digital humans mimic human communication as they offer a range of services: Companies are currently using them as sales assistants, corporate trainers, and social media influencers, for example. When deployed at scale, digital humans will radically change the business landscape. They may not be as capable or versatile as human employees, but they have clear advantages when it comes to cost, customizability, and scalability. Once “hired,” they never tire, never complain, never seek a raise, and always follow company policy. Digital humans are already making real money for their employers.  Perhaps they are a bigger challenge to you, me – Us. 

In case you still remember the picture at the start, it is no photo of human faces but photo of the beautiful drawing on the face of a building at Nochi nagar on way to Foreshore Estate on Bay of Bengal sea front. The artiste who produced this masterpiece  would have been paid but not necessarily the value that it is worth .. .. and his name remains obscure – many appreciations to that unknown artiste.

 
With regards – S. Sampathkumar
11.5.2023