'We can't scale humans': Why startups are raising millions to build AI avatars

"Roman" and I haven't exchanged words for about 10 seconds, but you wouldn't know it from the look on his face. This artificially intelligent avatar, a product of New Zealand-based Soul Machines, is supposed to offer human-like interaction by simulating the way our brains handle conversation. Roman can interpret facial expressions, generate expressions of his own, and converse on a variety of topics--making him what Soul Machines calls a "digital hero." Right now, though, Roman is glitching, stuck in a routine of blinking, furrowing his eyebrows, and twisting his mouth into a polite half-smile. Moments ago, he'd asked me what music I would beam into deep space if I were in charge of NASA, but my answer--the seminal modern jazz fusion tune "Lingus" by Snarky Puppy, of course--seems to have caught him off guard.