Written by: Far
"Single Society" is a global phenomenon.
According to data from iiMedia Consulting released in 2021, since 2019, the single population in major countries worldwide has exceeded 20% of the total population, with Sweden's single population ratio reaching as high as 51%. China's single population is 2.4 billion (2018), nearly equivalent to the total population of the United States. The Japanese National Institute of Population and Social Security Research estimated in 2017 that by 2035, the single rate for people over 15 years old (including unmarried, divorced, and widowed) will reach 48% for both men and women, accounting for about half of Japan's total population.
The gradually increasing global single population data indicates a massive demand for potential emotional companionship among single individuals.
The movie 'Her' depicts emotional interactions between a real person and a 'virtual human' existing in voice form
Emotional Needs in the Single Era
Artistic works reflect reality. The movie 'Her' tells a story of a male character developing feelings and love for a female character existing as a 'voice personality'. In a bustling big city, a single man meets this 'virtual female' in voice form. She provides him comfort and accompanies him through many important life stages, making him feel less lonely in the crowd (the film subtly raises the dilemma of what difference exists between loving a virtual and a real person).
The first episode of the documentary 'Before Tomorrow' titled 'Robot Companion' showcases the important role of intelligent robots for those in need. These robots help men who are emotionally hurt, have intimate relationship barriers, or simply feel more comfortable with intelligent robots. The men view these robots as their other half, obtaining companionship and solace, believing this is the love they need.
This represents the significance of virtual humans (including intelligent robots) for single individuals, helping them achieve positive psychological experiences and serving an indispensable purpose.
In the metaverse, similar scenarios from the current real world will undoubtedly exist, and the massive single population will likely need the emotional companionship 'function' provided by virtual digital humans.
Increasingly Understanding Your 'Ta'
This trend is rapidly developing, manifested in the quick market industry growth and the gradual intelligence 'evolution' of virtual humans themselves.
Market and Industry Rapid Development
According to Toubiao Research Institute data, the current virtual digital human market scale has exceeded 200 billion yuan. Quantum Bit Intelligence predicts that China's overall virtual digital human market will reach 270 billion yuan by 2030, meaning a virtual human is "born" globally on average every day. Additionally, Research And Markets research estimates that the global virtual activity market will reach $50.476 billion (approximately 327.0744 billion yuan) by 2028. Importantly, identity-based virtual humans will dominate future development.
What are identity-based virtual digital humans? Unlike functional service-type virtual digital humans, they possess unique personalities and distinct identities, with glamorous appearances and perpetual energy, currently existing primarily as basic virtual idols in entertainment, social, and brand domains.
Current virtual digital human application scenarios are actually being prepared for the metaverse, not just mobile internet. They will provide more comprehensive services in the metaverse's extensive scenarios through three-dimensional forms, such as companionship, chat, emotional comfort, and even forming intimate relationships, similar to the scene depicted in the movie 'Her'.
Gradual Intelligence 'Evolution'
China's first two emotional companion virtual humans were officially launched by Baidu Input Method on August 17, 2022: a 22-year-old warm and considerate sunny boy named Lin Kaikai, and a 27-year-old emotionally perceptive, clear-minded sweet-cool girl named Ye Youyou.
These two virtual humans reportedly possess near-human-level multi-round smooth dialogue capabilities, providing 24-hour online companionship, anthropomorphic chat, emotional healing services for over 600 million users on Baidu Input Method's AI Chat feature, with exclusive wake-up calls, bedtime comfort, and other friend experiences, allowing users to chat and share feelings anytime.
Based on Baidu's PLATO dialogue model, the input method has upgraded immersive companionship, long-term memory, and deep topic customization capabilities for Lin Kaikai and Ye Youyou. As chat interaction frequency increases, they will become more understanding, increasingly resembling intimate friends who are always by your side in the real world.
In the single era, who is using them? According to the introduction, Baidu Input Method currently has over 600 million monthly active users. During testing, each person's chat frequency on AI Chat exceeded 50 times daily, with over 86% of users publicly liking the dialogue content.
The Significance of Virtual Humans in the Metaverse Era
Behind the 600 million active users and daily chat frequencies lies a massive demand for emotional companionship. If the metaverse virtual world is successfully realized, it means that when global users can enter anytime, they will need emotional and companionship support similar to the real world, beyond functional activities like gaming, entertainment, and asset trading.
According to Gartner's market research, by 2026, 25% of global people will spend at least one hour daily in virtual worlds for work, shopping, education, socializing, or entertainment. Just as people in the real world need cats, dogs, or two-dimensional virtual idols for companionship and emotional comfort, in the metaverse, as time spent increases, people will similarly need emotionally supportive virtual humans that are increasingly human-like.
The movie 'A.I. Artificial Intelligence', where an AI boy provides emotional needs for a family who lost their child
Facing this prospect, virtual humans seem poised to ignite a different spark in the future metaverse.
If humans are the subjects in the real universe, virtual digital humans will be the subjects in the metaverse.
When we are in the metaverse era, we will undoubtedly more easily obtain emotional companionship and warm care from virtual humans (which will become increasingly intelligent). On one hand, it will benefit groups in need, such as families who have lost children, empty-nest elderly, or those requiring emotional companionship. On the other hand, its impact on real-world interpersonal and intimate relationships remains a question worth contemplating.
