#awwtokyo
**Sara Giusto and the Rise of Virtual Humans: The Phenomenon of ‘imma’ in the Digital Age **
Sara Giusto, a producer at Aww, is striving to share technology and art concepts born from Japanese companies with the world. She was recognized as one of the winners in the ENTERTAINMENT & SPORTS category of the “Forbes JAPAN 30 UNDER 30 2023,” which selects 30 individuals under 30 who will lead the next generation.
One significant area of exploration is the potential of virtual humans to uncover new human possibilities. An example of this is a virtual human named “imma,” created using CG technology. Imma, recognized by her distinctive pink bobbed hair, was introduced in 2018. The virtual character’s nationality, age, and gender remain mysterious. Despite this, imma has been very active, both domestically and internationally, appearing in commercials for the skincare brand SK-II, ads for Nomura Securities, and on the covers of international magazines. Her popularity surged on social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok, amassing roughly 1 million followers and garnering comments in multiple languages.
Sara Giusto serves as the producer for Aww Inc., the company responsible for creating virtual humans like imma, acting as a bridge to share these innovations globally.
While many people still believe that imma is a real person, the existence of virtual humans like her expands our understanding of human potential. As Juice Toh points out, whereas humans are constrained by factors like race and status, virtual entities like imma aren’t restricted by nationality or age. Through imma, who exists between the realms of reality and the digital, they can further communicate the allure and potential of the digital world.
https://forbesjapan.com/articles/detail/65504