Days before Samsung is set to unveil Neon project at the CES 2020 in Las Vegas, details of a forthcoming "Artificial Human" have surfaced. But this is apparently not a Bixby reboot.
Samsung has been teasing Neon via social media, but we knew little about what to expect from the forthcoming AI project until now.
The latest tidbit of information makes it look like Neon is a digital avatar creator. A tweet from Pranav Mistry, who is heading up Neon, mentions that the engine behind Neon, called CORE R3, can "autonomously create new expressions, new movements, new dialog (even in Hindi), completely different from the original captured data."
Flying to CES tomorrow, and the code is finally working :) Ready to demo CORE R3. It can now autonomously create new expressions, new movements, new dialog (even in Hindi), completely different from the original captured data. pic.twitter.com/EPAJJrLyjdJanuary 5, 2020
Redditors also unearthed some videos on Neon's site (since taken down), but a video posted to YouTube suggests that Neon is able to generate life-like avatars based on recorded videos of real-life people.
Back in December, Samsung released a few other teasers about NEON, but not surprisingly, gave out few details.
Meet #NEON. January 2020. pic.twitter.com/iFkWVVyF6kDecember 17, 2019
Samsung has been mindful to not describe it as a voice assistant or artificial intelligence. Instead the company is using terms like ‘artificial human’ or ‘artificial intelligence being’ to market the project.
Honored to have so much coverage even before we unveil. But contrary to some news, NEON is NOT about Bixby, or anything you have seen before. #NEON is coming to #CES2020, so stay tuned! @neondotlifeDecember 26, 2019
LetsGoDigital, a Dutch-language site known for spotlighting tech patents, published a USPTO Samsung trademark application for what reads like an AI-computer. Here's how it describes Neon:
Entertainment services, namely, production of special effects including model-making services, computer-generated imagery and computer-generated graphics for the production of motion pictures, videos and movie trailers; augmented reality video production; creating computer generated characters; design and development of computer-modeled versions of human beings using computer animation for use in movies, television, internet and other applications; design and development of software for virtual characters; creating for others custom computer-generated imagery, animations, simulations and models used for entertainment.
That's not a lot of detail, but it's something. If you visit Neon's website you'll be met with a countdown scheduled to end at midnight on January 7. It's no coincidence that falls at the start of CES in Las Vegas, where we expect Samsung to announce a slew of products across its mobile and entertainment categories.
Be sure to check out our CES 2020 hub for the latest news and hands-on impressions out of Las Vegas.
