Digital Humans: Today and Tomorrow

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Explore how lifelike digital personas are reshaping AI, communication, and service—from realism and emotion to ethics and design. A must-attend for anyone working with emerging tech.

In this session, you’ll hear from the researchers, creators, and industry experts behind the course as they share the key insights, design principles, and real-world developments shaping the evolution of digital humans in 2025.

Whether you're in AI, design, communication, or innovation, this session will offer a practical, thought-provoking look at how lifelike digital personas are changing how we serve, support, and interact.

In this session, we’ll explore:

What digital humans are, and why they’re rising now

How digital humans fit into conversational AI

Visual realism and the uncanny valley

Multimodal design for more natural interactions

Designing emotional depth and personality

Ethics in digital human design—from transparency to diversity

Guido Jongen is a seasoned professional with a robust background in applied artificial intelligence and customer service. Through his company, Virtually Human, he leverages extensive expertise in chatbot and speech recognition technologies to focus on the next evolution in human-computer interaction: Digital Humans. Guido is dedicated to advancing the adoption of lifelike Digital Human technologies across sectors such as healthcare, hospitality, and customer service. He collaborates closely with various universities to bridge the gap between research and market applications. Additionally, Guido serves on the AI Committee of the Dutch Direct Marketing Association and is a board member of Another Kind of Blue, an innovative dance company integrating immersive technology into their performances.

Marije Brom is a senior researcher and program manager at Creating 010, part of Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences. Her work focuses on making artificial intelligence accessible and applicable within the communication field. Marije has a background in digital consultancy and strategy, having worked with agencies like Jungle Minds and DPDK. She is passionate about exploring the role of virtual humans and influencers in enhancing human-computer interactions and has been recognized for her efforts in bridging the gap between technology and communication practices.

In 2018, Hans co-founded the Conversation Design Institute to establish processes, techniques, and organizational standards to professionalize the role of conversation design within large enterprises.

Hans also sits upon the board of CDI Foundation, which is focused on undertaking research, education and industry development, along with providing scholarships to help people from underrepresented and disadvantaged backgrounds enter the CAI industry.

Iris Withuis is a lecturer and researcher at Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, specializing in media, communication, and technology. Her research interests include virtual influencers and the societal impact of AI-generated media. Iris is committed to examining how emerging technologies can be integrated responsibly into communication strategies and has contributed to various interdisciplinary projects aimed at understanding the ethical implications of digital media innovations.