16 Aug, 2024

WinGD

Bringing History to Life with AI - Wake Media's AI Avatar for WinGD

WinGD, a leader in marine power, faced an exciting challenge: to create a lifelike AI avatar of Rudolph Diesel, the renowned inventor of the diesel engine.

AI avatar of Rudolph Diesel, the renowned inventor of the diesel engine.

This avatar was intended to serve as a virtual host, delivering a welcome greeting at the Engine Builder Conference held in Switzerland from May 29-31, 2024. The primary objectives were to develop a realistic and interactive AI avatar of Rudolph Diesel to deliver a scripted welcome message in under one minute. Additionally, it was important to utilise existing photos and historical footage to enhance the avatar's authenticity, create a memorable and engaging opening for the conference, and produce content that could be repurposed beyond the conference without intellectual property issues.

 

Our Approach

Wake Media adopted a strategic and collaborative approach to meet these objectives, leveraging advanced AI and natural language processing technologies. Partnering with 'The Peeps,' we focused on ensuring the avatar was not only realistic but also engaging.

Steps Taken:

  1. We utilised cutting-edge AI technologies to develop a lifelike avatar.
  2. Using historical photos and footage, we crafted the visual design and animation.
  3. Ensured the avatar's speech was authentic and captivating.
  4. Collaborated with WinGD to refine and deliver a compelling message.
  5. Coordinated with all stakeholders to ensure seamless integration of all elements.
  6. In collaboration with WinGD, we refined the script to deliver a compelling message.

Throughout the project, we coordinated with all stakeholders to ensure seamless integration of all elements. We transferred all intellectual property related to the final output to WinGD, enabling them to use the video across various formats and platforms.

Tangible Assets Delivered:

  • A custom-designed AI avatar of Rudolph Diesel.
  • Voice-over files and synthesised speech capabilities.
  • 2-3 AI-generated imagery/videos for enhanced visual appeal.
  • A combined 4K video creating an engaging narrative.
  • A compressed version of the video for social media and other channels.

Impact

The AI avatar of Rudolph Diesel was a resounding success, exceeding expectations and delivering a memorable welcome message that captivated the conference attendees.

Anna Garcia, Executive Director of Corporate Responsibility & Communications at WinGD, praised the project, saying, "This was a fun project to work on. I wanted to challenge our team to embrace AI and incorporate it into our toolkit. The idea came to me during the MiM conference, where Wake showcased their use of AI. We provided Wake with the script, a brief, and some footage. They came back with a first draft that was beyond my expectations. We landed on the final version after a few iterations to enhance the voice authenticity. It was a joy to unveil it during the conference and watch the faces of our customers and our own people. It fulfilled my vision for the special moment. We've shared it since in our customer newsletter and on social media."

The project not only met but also surpassed its primary objectives, showcasing the potential of AI in creating engaging and impactful experiences. The video has since been utilised in WinGD's marketing materials and social media, further extending its impact.

📽️ Watch the video here!

👉 Contact us at info@wake-media.co.uk to get started!

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