Vision Pro to Get Even More Human-Like 'Spatial Personas' for FaceTime

[MacRumors]

Apple's new Vision Pro headset can scan a user's face and use advanced machine learning to create a photorealistic "Persona" of them for video calls. And in a future visionOS update, these avatars will become even more realistic.

Spatial Persona on Vision Pro​

In its Platforms State of the Union video for developers this week, Apple announced that it is working on "Spatial Personas" that will allow Vision Pro users to "break out of the familiar FaceTime tile and feel more present, like they are gathered in the same physical space." Spatial Personas will have a transparent background and be able to display more movement and body language for a more lifelike experience.

A regular Persona on Vision Pro​

Spatial Personas will be available on FaceTime calls, including for SharePlay sessions.

"In a SharePlay session, Spatial Personas let you feel present with others in a way technology has never enabled before," said Apple, in a related WWDC video. "You can look your friends in the eye, express yourself naturally with movement and body language, and best of all, enjoy a shared activity together using your app."

Apple said a developer preview of Spatial Personas will be available later this year, but it did not indicate when the feature will be publicly released. Vision Pro does not launch until early 2024 in the U.S. and will be priced at $3,499.

Article Link: Vision Pro to Get Even More Human-Like 'Spatial Personas' for FaceTime

 

[myusernamedoesnotmatter]

#2creepy4me

 

[MayaUser]

Beautiful, the most advanced first generation

 

[xraydoc]

#2creepy4me

Yeah, the demo in the keynote was kind of weird.

 

[BobSc]

#2creepy4me

Why does it seem "creepy" to you. Please explain.

 

[aibloop]

This will likely be good when I can get one in 2-3 years

 

[myusernamedoesnotmatter]

Why does it seem "creepy" to you. Please explain.

uncanny valley. Technologically I guess it's impressive.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

This is an impressive forward-thinking technology but I'm not a fan of 3D Spatial Personas'. It just looks creepy. No matter who it's going to be. It will always remind me of Zuckerberg.

 

[ChromeAce]

By all means let’s combine “Spatial Personas” with “Personal Voice” and then our AI-generated images and sounds can just talk to each other over FaceTime long after we’re dead.

 

[grilledcheesesandwich]

I also like my human beings to come out of walls

 

[txscott]

I don’t want to interact with peoples’ personas, I want to interact with them as they actually are. Especially people I’m close to, children and grandchildren come to mind. I want them to interact with me as well.

 

[Apple Fan 2008]

A bit weeeird…

 

[bobob]

I don’t want to interact with peoples’ personas, I want to interact with them as they actually are. Especially people I’m close to, children and grandchildren come to mind. I want them to interact with me as well.

What's stopping you? Vision Pro is not mandatory.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

I don’t want to interact with peoples’ personas, I want to interact with them as they actually are. Especially people I’m close to, children and grandchildren come to mind. I want them to interact with me as well.

Agreed! Human communication and interaction are very important and essential. It's also too valuable! Time is precious. All this is pretty much leading to this:

 

[Mr. Dee]

#2creepy4me

Would you rather the person you are talking to over face time see you wearing the Vision Pro? This is a well thought out trade off. Of course, its not gonna be 100% replica of you or your behaviors which might be a good or bad thing. But it does remove the awkwardness of being able to interact with you and see your gestures. I hope Apple will make it optional to train the persona: goofy face, mourning, sadness, silly, anger, boredom, busy, concerned, joyful, excited, disbelief, annoyed, express intimacy, blushing.

 

[myusernamedoesnotmatter]

Why does it seem "creepy" to you. Please explain.

I don’t want to interact with peoples’ personas, I want to interact with them as they actually are. Especially people I’m close to, children and grandchildren come to mind. I want them to interact with me as well.

this is why it's creepy Bob. He articulated it well

 

[myusernamedoesnotmatter]

Would you rather the person you are talking to over face time see you wearing the Vision Pro? This is a well thought out trade off. Of course, its not gonna be 100% replica of you or your behaviors which might be a good or bad thing. But it does remove the awkwardness of being able to interact with you and see if your gestures. I hope Apple will make it optional to train the persona: goofy face, mourning, sadness, silly, anger, busy, concerned, joyful, excited, disbelief, annoyed, express intimacy, blushing.

Yeah, I know it's a tradeoff. Still doesn't make it creepy though

 

[jimbobb24]

A little bit uncanny valley but it’s the right direction and will only get better. But I hope you have the option, just like now, to replace yourself with a Memoji. Of high quality.

 

[nfl46]

This thing in 5 years is going to be... shockingly good. Damn. I can't believe this is only Gen 1.

 

[dandy1117]

I don’t want to interact with peoples’ personas, I want to interact with them as they actually are. Especially people I’m close to, children and grandchildren come to mind. I want them to interact with me as well.

Agreed but what about those times when you’re unable to be present, is this better than a letter, photograph, phone call, or Skype? Isn’t this a more personal communication with loved ones when we’re far away?

 

[frou]

Has everyone forgotten that these would be called "deepfakes" until recently?

 

[mystery hill]

It’s creepy that we all interact with each other via text in this virtual forum so often.

 

[FSMBP]

What's the point of Face-Time when it's not really you? If I get haircut, scratch on my face from my puppy, it won't show that. Just makes it less human.

I know it's a trade-off but not understanding the benefit. Especially when the new Face-Time effects in Sonoma seem useful for communicating (like having your monitor display behind you).

 

[Graphikos]

I don’t want to interact with peoples’ personas, I want to interact with them as they actually are. Especially people I’m close to, children and grandchildren come to mind. I want them to interact with me as well.

I think this is a good approach and it will only get better over time. We still accept audio only (aka, a phone call) to connect with people "as they actually are". Given the choice, I'd take a 3D persona that can mimic eye contact, expressions, etc. over just an audio call.

Google has been toying with 3D recreation and displays too...

 

[klasma]

So we’ll get “create a face that looks like you” to match the “create a voice that sounds like you”. And we can look young forever!