I have long been fascinated by the potential of artificial intelligence in storytelling and communication. I believe it has the potential to revolutionize the way we communicate and interact with the world around us. Last year, I created a virtual influencer named Ellen for Helen Energy in collaboration with Kurio. This gave me valuable experience and allowed me to see how the technology has advanced in recent years. So I was excited when I got the opportunity to create a new virtual influencer for Jyväskylä Education Consortium Gradia.

Introducing Arvy

Arvy is a virtual influencer who represents Gradia’s values and reflects its diverse community. We wanted to create a character who would be both inspiring and relatable. In the early stages of the project, we decided to try to create Arvy using an AI model of Gradia students, teachers, and staff. We took an average of their facial features to create a unique character that truly represents Gradia.

The AI model was based on images of 115 Gradia students and staff. This ensures that Arvy looks authentically Gradia and reflects all of Gradia’s target groups. Arvy’s name is an abbreviation of Gradia’s values: Arvostavasti (With Respect), Rohkeasti (Boldly), Vastuullisesti (Responsibly) and Yhdessä (Together).

Arvy’s Values

Arvy represents all the values that are important to me:

Arvostavasti (With Respect): I believe that everyone should be treated with respect and equality.
Rohkeasti (Boldly): I encourage people to try new things and believe in themselves.
Vastuullisesti (Responsibly): I care about the environment and sustainable development.
Yhdessä (Together): I believe in the power of cooperation and community.

Arvy’s unique features offer new possibilities for Gradia’s communication:

• Adaptability: Arvy’s appearance, age, and style can be seamlessly adapted to different contexts and target groups.
• Illustration style: The illustration style can be chosen according to needs, from photographs to brand images and cartoon drawings. Anything is possible.
• Environments, lighting, and themes: Clothing, environments, lighting, and themes can be selected and changed, allowing for quick and effective response to current events.
• Timeliness and Speed: Arvy allows Gradia to respond quickly and ad hoc to current events and phenomena. Faster communication and the removal of restrictions allow Gradia to be at the forefront and take advantage of new trends.
• Versatility and Efficiency: Arvy can be used in a multi-channel way across different communication channels and campaigns.

Conclusion

The introduction of a virtual influencer like Arvy opens up completely new possibilities for communication at Gradia. It allows Gradia to respond quickly to current events and take advantage of new trends using images, videos, and audio. However, it is important to remember that a virtual influencer does not completely replace real people and images. Arvy is a powerful tool, but it should be used as part of a broader communication strategy. Real people and images of them are still needed in Gradia’s communication.

The Future of Arvy

I am very proud of Arvy and I believe she has a lot to offer Gradia. She can act as an ambassador for Gradia’s values and promote a positive atmosphere. Arvy can also help Gradia attract new students and communicate its educational offerings.

I am sure that Arvy will become an important part of Gradia’s communication and marketing in the future. She is a unique and innovative character who has a lot to offer the Gradia community. I am also excited to see what adventures Arvy will have in the future.