WeHead, showcased at CES 2024, is a creepy, AI-generated head that puts a face to GPT, a large-language model built by OpenAI and underpins ChatGPT.
What’s particularly disquieting about WeHead is how stoic and expressionless the gizmo is while engaging in conversation with me.
WeHead is creepy — but I somehow still want one
I tested out WeHead at Pepcom, a pre-CES 2024 event that gives you a taste of what’s to come before the showroom officially opens on Jan. 9. When I saw the bizarre talking AI head on a tablet, I couldn’t help but stop by and ask about the unsettling tech.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
At first, I thought it was some weird gizmo that adds dimension to one’s selfies, allowing you to turn yourself into some sort of digital 3D head. However, as it turns out, WeHead puts a face to the engine that drives ChatGPT.
I was able to ask it questions, any question, and it would respond to me in a conversational manner. However, unlike ChatGPT, which recently rolled out its voice capabilities to the free tier last November, WeHead doesn’t sound human. It sounds very robotic, in a Siri-like manner.
Speaking of Siri, the WeHead rep at Pepcom was very adamant about telling Pepcom attendees to not talk to WeHead like its Siri. Talk to it like it’s a friend.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
I asked it to tell me to give me some recommendations to the best food places in Las Vegas (Give me a break; I was hungry), and it delivered a lengthy, long-winded response about some popular options along the Strip. However, I felt that that this question was too Siri-esque (e.g., requesting information as opposed to having a human-like conversation), so I asked it for advice about getting through exhausting days at CES 2024. Again, its reply was lengthy, with a run-of-the-mill response about staying hydrated and wearing comfortable shoes, but I was still intrigued.
Plus, there are captions that appear below the AI’s chin, but sometimes, the words disappeared behind the gadget’s housing. I’d also add that it took a few seconds too long to respond, but may be because the connection in Pepcom is spotty, with a vast number of tech competing for signals.
At first, I thought WeHead was some sort of B2B product, allowing customers to interact with the AI talking head to take food orders, for example. However, the WeHead rep told me that it’s a consumer-facing product. In fact, if you have the wherewithal, you could buy it right now for $4,950.
Despite delivering pure nightmare fuel, if WeHead can make its product more conversational and more engaging with its facial expressions, I wouldn’t mind propping this weird thingamajig on my nightstand for all-day companionship.
