Virtual humans are human-like characters that can interact with users through various media such as voice, text, or images. They are powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and computer graphics (CG) technologies, and can be used for various purposes such as entertainment, education, healthcare, and marketing. The global virtual humans market was valued at $11.30 billion in 2021, and is estimated to reach $440.3 billion by 2031, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 44.7% from 2022 to 2031.
The Rise of Virtual Humans in the Metaverse
One of the key drivers for the growth of the virtual humans market is the increasing demand for immersive and engaging experiences in the metaverse. The metaverse is a term that describes a shared virtual space where users can interact with each other and with digital content. The metaverse is expected to become the next frontier of the internet, where users can create, explore, and socialize in a variety of virtual worlds.
Virtual humans are essential for the metaverse, as they can provide realistic and personalized interactions with users. For example, virtual celebrities can perform live concerts, virtual hosts can deliver news and information, and virtual influencers can promote brands and products. Virtual humans can also create emotional connections with users, as they can express emotions, gestures, and facial expressions. Some examples of popular virtual humans in the metaverse are Lil Miquela, a virtual influencer with over 3 million followers on Instagram, and Kizuna AI, a virtual YouTuber with over 4 million subscribers on YouTube.
The Impact of Virtual Humans on Healthcare
Another factor that contributes to the expansion of the virtual humans market is the growing demand for AI-based virtual humans in the healthcare sector. AI-based virtual humans can provide various benefits for healthcare, such as improving patient engagement, reducing healthcare costs, and enhancing healthcare quality. AI-based virtual humans can act as virtual assistants, virtual coaches, virtual therapists, or virtual companions for patients and healthcare professionals.
For instance, virtual assistants can help patients with scheduling appointments, managing medications, and accessing health information. Virtual coaches can motivate patients to adopt healthy behaviors, such as exercising, eating well, and quitting smoking. Virtual therapists can provide psychological support and counseling for patients with mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Virtual companions can provide social and emotional support for patients who are lonely, isolated, or elderly.
Some examples of AI-based virtual humans in healthcare are Woebot, a virtual therapist that uses cognitive behavioral therapy to help users cope with stress, anxiety, and depression, and Replika, a virtual companion that uses natural language processing and deep learning to chat with users and learn from them.
The Future of Virtual Humans in Various Industries
The virtual humans market is expected to witness significant growth in the future, as more industries adopt virtual humans for various applications. Some of the industries that can benefit from virtual humans are education, retail, tourism, and gaming. Virtual humans can provide interactive and personalized learning experiences for students, enhance customer service and satisfaction for shoppers, offer virtual tours and guides for travelers, and create immersive and realistic gaming environments for gamers.
Some examples of virtual humans in various industries are Suki, a virtual assistant that helps doctors with documentation and administrative tasks, Obsess, a virtual store that allows customers to shop in 3D environments with virtual stylists, and Soul Machines, a company that creates digital humans for various purposes, such as education, banking, and entertainment.
Virtual humans are transforming various industries with their immersive capabilities, and are expected to become more prevalent and influential in the future. Virtual humans can provide realistic and personalized interactions with users, and create emotional connections with them. Virtual humans can also enhance the user experience and value proposition of various products and services, and create new opportunities and markets for various businesses.
