Lenovo Unveils a Photorealistic A.I. Avatar Designed to Help Dementia Patients
Lenovo-2.png?w=970" alt="Lenovo's AI assistant "Liv"" width="970" height="520" data-caption='The look of Lenovo’s AI assistant “Liv” was<span style="font-weight: 400"> conceptualized using a composite of images from more than ten individuals living with dementia or Alzheimer’s. </span> <span class="media-credit">Courtesy Lenovo</span>'>
At the Lenovo Tech World event in Seattle, Wash. last week, the PC maker unveiled a photorealistic A.I. avatar, named “Liv,” in collaboration with the nonprofit Innovations in Dementia. The A.I. avatar is designed to serve as a 24/7 conversational companion for people living with dementia, offering real-time practical advice, emotional support and a sense of connection.
“Liv” can engage in unscripted, natural conversations by drawing on a large language model (LLM) trained on thousands of real-world experiences of individuals living with dementia, according to Lenovo. Training data include input from Innovations in Dementia’s Dementia Diaries and in-depth panel interviews conducted with Alzheimer’s focus group participants from the community.
The need for innovative dementia support systems has never been more pressing. More than 55 million people worldwide are currently living with the condition, with the number expected to reach 139 million by 2050, according to the World Health Organization. “With huge advancements in A.I. and smarter technologies, now is the time to explore and pilot creative new ways to use technology like A.I. thoughtfully and responsibly, for the greater good,” Doug Fisher, chief security and A.I. officer at Lenovo, told Observer. “Our hope and aim for A.I. tools like ‘Liv’ are to help fill that gap of information and support people when they may need it the most.”
Many newly diagnosed patients find it challenging to connect with someone who truly understands their experience. “A doctor can tell you what medication to take. But only people living with dementia can tell you exactly what they’re going through,” Ahmad Krayem, a focus group participant diagnosed with early-onset dementia in his 60s, said in a video message played at last week’s event.
There is no medical cure for dementia, and current support largely comes from human interactions, leaving many patients and their caregivers feeling isolated and subjectively burdened in their journey.
“People with dementia tell us that, when they are first diagnosed, they experience uncertainty about the future, loss of purpose and meaning, loss of the sense of who they are their place in the world and in the relationships that are important to them,” Steve Milton, director of Innovations in Dementia, told Observer. “Liv AI offers a knowledgeable and compassionate source of assurance and advice based directly on the experiences and wisdom of other people with dementia.”
The avatar’s look was conceptualized using a composite of images from more than ten individuals living with dementia or Alzheimer’s. An A.I. model generated thousands of different expressions and angles from each person’s initial pose. These varied images were then combined into a single dataset and blended with an actor’s face to bring “Liv” to life as a realistic A.I. avatar.
When a user asks a question, “Liv” taps into her database and utilizes a vocal synthesizer to turn its generated response into speech, and the avatar’s facial expressions adjust based on the emotional tone of the response. Finally, a 4K visual generative A.I. model brings it all together, making it look like “Liv” is speaking naturally. Users can ask questions about daily life, new hobbies or even how to talk to their loved ones about the disease.
“Why not think about the kind of support we might give to someone before they needed ‘dementia care?” This is where we have targeted ‘Liv,’” said Milton. “As with all A.I. models, the quality and breadth of the data impact the quality of output users experience. If more data and personal experiences from people and families living with advanced dementia are gathered, the scale and quality of service could grow too.”
Despite the avatar’s personalized approach, there are inherent limitations. As an A.I.-based tool, its responses are generated from lived experiences rather than deep clinical expertise, which can be a double-edged sword. Likewise, although ‘Liv’’s facial expressions are powered by sentiment analysis, there is still a question of how well it can mimic the nuanced emotional responses to empathize with people diagnosed with advanced dementia.
“The tool meant to complement human care, not replace it,” Lenovo’s Fisher added. “A.I. solutions should only be considered for mass rollout if extensive testing and development is taken to further safeguard and prevent a negative experience for potential users.” Currently, “Liv” is being trialed in controlled environments with plans for broader public access on the horizon.
The initiative is part of Lenovo’s Smarter AI for Good and Techquity projects, aimed at shining a light on groups that are often neglected by Big Tech companies. Earlier this year, Lenovo launched Meet Your Digital Self, a project that utilized A.I. to create lifelike 3D avatars modeled after the online personas of two Gen Z individuals. The project’s goal is to raise awareness to critical Gen Z issues like loneliness, opening up to family and anxiety, and guide young people toward professional mental health support.
“Ultimately, it’s about re-imagining a future where technology is for—and from—all, giving everyone a voice in what they want from the most transformative technology of our generation,” Fisher said.