NTT Data has been actively exploring the use of digital humans—AI-powered 3D avatars—for enterprise applications across various sectors. These initiatives include using digital humans for customer service, healthcare, financial services, sustainability communications, and event engagement, such as at The Open golf tournament. Their digital human technologies are often integrated with generative AI, large language models, voice interaction, and motion synthesis to enhance realism and interactivity. NTT Data promotes these solutions globally and highlights their potential in improving customer experience, addressing labor shortages, and creating personalized, immersive services. They also focus on co-creation with partners and clients to develop use cases, including AI concierges, healthcare companions, and avatars for digital twins. The digital human "Lottie," featured in sports and entertainment contexts, and "SmartAgent," a self-guided AI assistant, are key examples of their deployments.
NTT DOCOMO is actively involved in the development and deployment of digital humans—AI-powered avatars used for customer service, tourism, communication, and interactive experiences. DOCOMO has showcased these technologies through events like "docomo Open House'24" and "Digital Human Symposium 2024," emphasizing their application in transforming on-site operations and enhancing user engagement. Collaborations include trials of digital concierge services, integration with generative AI for conversational agents, and partnerships with companies like Digital Humans, Inc. and NTT QONOQ. DOCOMO also supports related innovation through its R&D Open Lab ODAIBA, and it positions digital humans as a core part of its XR and metaverse strategies. Their use cases range from retail and healthcare to entertainment and infrastructure, illustrating DOCOMO's broader push to implement AI-driven avatars in practical, commercial, and social contexts.
NTT Research and its affiliated institutions are advancing the development of digital humans as part of broader R&D efforts in AI, digital twins, and human-centric computing. Their work includes projects like “CONN,” which synchronizes human motion and speech to create lifelike digital human avatars. NTT aims to integrate these avatars with large language models (such as "tsuzumi") to create more natural, human-like communication agents. Their efforts span healthcare (e.g., bio-digital twins for cardiac treatment), customer service, and smart city applications. Collaborations with academic institutions like Harvard and government partners are part of their initiative to create a well-being-oriented, cyber-physical society through the IOWN (Innovative Optical and Wireless Network) vision. The technology focuses on enhancing realism, interactivity, and personalization in digital human experiences, merging cutting-edge AI with responsive and empathetic virtual agents.
1-10 (pronounced "One to Ten"), a Japanese creative technology company, is actively involved in developing digital humans using 3DCG and Unreal Engine technologies. Their recent work focuses on integrating digital human applications into areas such as the metaverse, virtual reception systems, and AI-powered communication. They explore the use of game engines like Unreal Engine 5 to render lifelike virtual beings and immersive experiences. Their digital human "HARIN" was also launched as part of a luxury golf brand campaign.
Pixiv hosts a wide range of user-generated content related to digital humans, including illustrations, novels, and AI-generated characters. Many users create stories featuring digital humans as original characters, often involving themes like goddesses, jealousy, or fantasy battles. Artists also post 3DCG and AI-generated images, with platforms like VRoid Studio supporting digital human creation directly from Pixiv. The platform integrates with other services like Booth and Fanbox to allow creators to monetize their works. Digital human characters such as “ANNA” have been launched as virtual artists, while some users identify as “digital humans” to express their deep involvement in digital content creation.
Real Avatar Inc. is a Tokyo-based company specializing in the creation of highly realistic 3D digital avatars using full-body 3D scanning and photogrammetry. Founded in 2013 and rebranded from Eizo Denpa-sha in 2020, the company operates the Aoyama 3D Scan Studio and has collaborated with institutions such as the University of Tokyo's VR Education Research Center. Their services include avatar modeling for VR platforms like VRChat and Cluster, development and sales of 3D scanning systems, and photorealistic 3D asset creation for entertainment, marketing, and research. The company is led by CEO Yukihiro Iwayama and provides models and scanning services through their website
Rinna Inc. is a Japanese AI company that specializes in developing conversational artificial intelligence and digital human solutions. It has collaborated extensively with Digital Human Co., Ltd. to create emotionally expressive virtual characters by combining Rinna’s free-form conversational AI engines with Digital Human’s avatars that feature facial expressions, voice, and audiovisual elements. Their joint efforts include the “Rinna Character Platform,” enabling natural, emotionally rich communication experiences with digital humans across sectors such as customer service, entertainment, and education. Rinna has also worked with partners like Givery and UneeQ to integrate its technology into broader chatbot and avatar ecosystems. Notably, Rinna develops Japanese-language large language models, including Llama-based variants like "Youri 7B" and "Youko 8B," to support highly interactive and localized applications.
TELYUKA is a Japanese husband-and-wife 3DCG artist duo, Akihiko and Yuka Ishikawa, known for creating the hyper-realistic digital human "Saya," a CG high school girl that gained wide attention for its realism. Since its debut in 2015, Saya has evolved from a static image into an interactive digital human capable of real-time conversation and emotional expression through integration with AI technologies such as NEC's generative AI and Aisin's multimodal dialogue systems. TELYUKA's work emphasizes artistic and humanistic values within digital human creation, distinguishing their work from purely commercial avatars. They have collaborated with companies like NEC and Aisin to explore applications in partner AI systems and customer service, and their projects have been featured at academic conferences and in 8K video displays. Their approach combines high-end visual fidelity with research into empathetic, lifelike digital communication, making Saya a pioneering example of digital human innovation in Japan.
The Japanese Society for Artificial Intelligence (JSAI), also known as "ai-gakkai," has been actively engaging with the development and presentation of digital human technologies. These include CG-based reconstructions of human figures enhanced by deep learning, exemplified in initiatives such as the “SenseAvatar” platform, which focuses on emotionally engaging and familiar digital humans. JSAI conferences (such as JSAI2024 and JSAI2025) have featured sessions, research papers, and corporate exhibits centered on the applications of digital humans in areas like cashier solutions, AI-powered assistants, and interactive agents. The research spans multiple domains, including ethics (ELSI), user experience, and human-computer communication. Other affiliated institutions such as AIST (National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology) also conduct R&D in digital human interfaces.
Toei Zukun Lab is a research division of Toei Company specializing in advanced digital human technologies. The lab focuses on producing highly realistic CG human characters using tools like Light Stage, motion capture, and facial capture. Their work emphasizes technological innovation over entertainment, aiming to redefine visual storytelling in media and advertising. Notable projects include digitally resurrecting legendary actor Yusaku Matsuda for short films and music videos, and transforming singer Yumi Matsutoya (Yuming) into a digital human for concert performances. The lab collaborates with partners such as Amana and NTT QONOQ on digital communication solutions and marketing applications. Founded with the mission of “designing the future of content,” Zukun Lab combines photorealistic CG with AI-driven expression systems to explore the future of human–digital interaction.