Xin Xiaowei is the world’s first 3D AI anchor. XINHUA
Xinhua News Agency introduced its first digital anchor in 2018. Developed by Xinhua and the search engine Sogou, this technology was developed through machine learning to simulate the voices, facial movements and gestures of real broadcasters. And now, Xinhua is expanding its lineup of virtual presenters. In May, Xinhua released the world’s first 3D artificial intelligence (AI) anchor, Xin Xiaowei.
新华社于2018年推出了首位虚拟主播。由新华社和搜索引擎搜狗共同研发的这一技术能够通过机器学习,模拟真人主持人的声音、面部表情以及姿势。而如今,新华社的虚拟主播队伍中又增添了新成员。今年5月,新华社推出了全球首位3D人工智能主播新小微。
According to Xinhua, the 3D anchor is modeled on Zhao Wanwei, a flesh-and-blood reporter for the news agency.
据新华社介绍,这位3D主播的原型是新华社真人记者赵琬微。
Her digital counterpart was brought to life by “multi-modal recognition and synthesis, facial recognition and animation and transfer learning”, according to Sogou.
搜狗表示,这位赵琬微的“数码分身”是通过“多模态识别及生成、实时面部动作生成及驱动、迁移学习”等技术“熔炉”炼就而成。
Unlike previous virtual anchors, this newest addition “communicates visual and audio information more naturally and smoothly in real time”, Xinhua reported.
据新华社报道,和先前的虚拟主播不同,这位最新成员“在实时播报视听内容时更加自然流畅”。
Just as Xin said on her release footage: “In the future, I will walk out of the studio and bring you a refreshing news broadcasting style ...”
正如新小微在亮相视频中所说的那样:“未来,我将走出演播室,带给您全新的新闻播报方式……”
During her first appearance at an animated broadcast studio, she also performed complex facial expressions, for example, nodding her head and blinking as she spoke.
在虚拟演播室首次亮相期间,她还展现了复杂的面部表情,如说话时不时点头或者眨眼。
More interestingly, Xin also can change her clothes and hairstyles based on different scenarios.
更有趣的是,新小微还能根据不同的场景变换发型服饰。
Though the new anchor already looks quite real, the agency said that the AI news anchor would be improved and updated in her expressions and movements. That will certainly create a new and dynamic viewing experience for their audience.
尽管这位新主播看起来已经相当逼真,但新华社表示,这位人工智能新闻主播还会升级改进表情动作。这无疑会为观众们带来全新动态的观看体验。
The AI anchor recently reported on the two sessions, the annual plenary sessions of the National People’s Congress and the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.
这位人工智能主播近期还对两会(即全国人民代表大会和中国人民政治协商会议)进行了报道。