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Ayane Sakura Will Answer Your Appliance Questions as FAQ-Bot
posted on by Lynzee Loveridge
Panasonic is introducing a new AI character to help users figuring out their new-fangled electric appliances. The animated, talking FAQ-Bot Yui was created in conjunction with BEDORE, ANIMATE Lab, and NAZ Animation STUDIO and is voiced by Ayane Sakura, the voice actress behind My Hero Academia's Ochaco Uraraka.
FAQ-Bot Yui is part of Panasonic's official "CLUB Panasonic" membership site and apps. She's only available to answer questions for a limited time; specifically until June 30. During that time, she'll host a FAQ chat function in hopes of reducing the workload on the company's human customer service representatives. Yui uses BEDORE's dialogue engine and natural language processing technology to respond appropriately with animated movements and expressions.
The character herself was designed by NOB-C who previously worked on Love Rice and Urawa no Usagi-chan.
Panasonic previously commissioned anime shorts for its Strada CN-F1D car navigation system and its Globarange phone line. Bancho Works' Kaden Shōjo (lit. Home Appliance Girl) mobile game re-imagined label makers, refrigerators, espresso machines and more as cute girls before ending service last year. Finally, voice actress Ibuki Kido lent her voice to Sharp's series of COCOROBO premium robot vacuums.
Source: Animate Times
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