The Chinese e-commerce company JD.com is increasing its use of artificial intelligence. An AI avatar of its founder, Richard Liu Qiangdong, hosted two live-streaming events on Tuesday.
JD.com’s AI avatar is driven by its large language model called ChatRhino, which is similar to technologies such as ChatGPT. Liu’s avatar accurately mimicked his known habit of gesticulating while speaking. However, the virtual Liu primarily adhered to a prepared script without interacting with or answering questions from the online audience.
Despite its limitations, the initiative proved successful. The Avatar’s inaugural live streams promoting consumer electronics and groceries garnered a combined viewership exceeding 20 million.
JD.com revealed that its AI-powered virtual hosts now cover over 4,000 brands, reducing live-streaming costs by 90% compared to human hosts. Additionally, the AI can respond to 70% of frequently asked questions during live streams.
This debut signals China’s growing adoption of virtual live-streamers capable of round-the-clock operations, potentially disrupting the roles of human live-streamers.
JD.com’s campaign foreshadows how live-streaming may evolve, particularly for major shopping events like Singles’ Day. The company has already filed trademarks related to Liu’s avatar, underscoring its significance.
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