Reply Showcases Futura, a Digital Tour Expert for Costa Crociere Powered by NVIDIA ACE and Generative AI, at SIGGRAPH 2024

TURIN, Italy--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Reply, an international group specializing in creating new business models enabled by AI and digital media, today announces its participation at SIGGRAPH 2024, the premier conference on computer graphics and interactive techniques.

In the NVIDIA Inception Startups Innovation Zone, Reply will showcase the Futura digital human, its innovative project built by combining the expertise of Infinity Reply and Technology Reply, which specialize in 3D content and spatial computing and data and AI, respectively. Futura is an AI-driven digital tour expert on Costa Smeralda, the flagship of Costa Crociere's fleet, operating in the Mediterranean Sea. Powered by a 3D Digital Human and Generative AI, Futura revolutionizes travel experiences by seamlessly integrating with on-board services, offering personalized touristic information and excursion recommendations tailored to each traveler.

Futura uses Reply’s affective computing module to understand user emotions and NVIDIA ACE NIM and Riva ASR NIM microservices for realistic facial animation, lip-sync and vocal conversation. It identifies and proposes personalized itineraries and proactively suggests the best tours organized by Costa Crociere, enriching the vacation experience by enhancing communication and empathy, significantly improving user satisfaction.

On July 31st, from 2:00 PM to 2:20 PM, during the “Generative AI Day” presented by NVIDIA, Reply will host the session, "Meet Futura: Costa Crociere's Digital Tour Expert Revolutionizing Customer Experiences with AI." The presentation will discuss how Futura enhances business decision-making and customer experiences.

“We are pleased to present our work on the Futura digital human at SIGGRAPH 2024,” said Filippo Rizzante, CTO at Reply. “This opportunity allows us to demonstrate our advancements in AI and digital human technology and our integration of NVIDIA technologies. Digital humans enable fluid interaction and using hyperrealism technologies, allow for extreme personalization.”

For more information about Futura Digital Human, visit the webpage.

For more information about NVIDIA ACE, visit the webpage.

Reply
Reply [EXM, STAR: REY] specialises in the design and implementation of solutions based on new communication channels and digital media. As a network of highly specialised companies, Reply defines and develops business models enabled by the new models of AI, big data, cloud computing, digital media and the internet of things. Reply delivers consulting, system integration and digital services to organisations across the telecom and media; industry and services; banking and insurance; and public sectors. www.reply.com

Costa Crociere
Costa Crociere is an Italian company, headquartered in Genoa, which is part of Carnival Corporation & plc, the world's largest cruise group. For more than 75 years, Costa ships have been plying the seas of the world, taking guests to more than 200 different destinations to be discovered through unique experiences, both on board and ashore. Currently the Costa fleet consists of 9 ships, all flying the Italian flag, sailing in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the Caribbean, Central America, South America, and the United Arab Emirates, Far-East, South-East Asia, as well as offering "Around the World" and "Grand Cruises," to visit different continents in a single vacation. https://www.costacruises.co.uk/

Carnival Corporation & plc
Carnival Corporation & plc is the largest global cruise company and among the largest leisure travel companies, with a portfolio of world-class cruise lines – AIDA Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Costa Cruises, Cunard, Holland America Line, P&O Cruises (Australia), P&O Cruises (UK), Princess Cruises, and Seabourn. https://www.carnivalcorp.com/