Auckland-based startup Soul Machines, led by special effects artist and AI expert Mark Sagar, introduces BabyX, a remarkably realistic digital baby capable of human-like emotions and interactions. This virtual infant, modelled after Sagar’s own daughter, uses neural networks and machine learning to engage with the world in a way that raises questions about human-robot interaction and the boundaries of sentience.
Innovative Creation of BabyX: A Virtual Infant with Human Emotions
Auckland-based startup Soul Machines, founded by special effects artist and AI expert Mark Sagar, has developed BabyX, a highly realistic digital baby. BabyX captures attention with her human-like appearance and emotional responses, modeled after Sagar’s own daughter at 18 months. This AI-powered baby is capable of learning, reacting to stimuli, and interacting with the world as a human does.
Soul Machines employs a diverse team of AI researchers, neuroscientists, and artists to create emotionally intelligent Digital Humans. Using neural networks and machine learning, they developed BabyX to recognize movement, faces, and other visual stimuli, allowing her to engage in human-like interactions. BabyX smiles reactively due to simulated brain responses resembling dopamine and serotonin release.
Despite her lifelike qualities, BabyX exists only on computer screens, and there are no current plans for a physical version. The creation raises questions about human-robot interaction and the concept of sentience. While intriguing, BabyX also navigates the “uncanny valley” phenomenon, where near-human robots can evoke discomfort in people.
