CONNECT WITH US
Tech

Tech

Chatbots and agents like Muse are getting a face — but does that make us trust them more? Here's what this AI expert had to say

Tom's Guide logo

Published on

Add as a preferred source on Google
Chatbots and agents like Muse are getting a face — but does that make us trust them more? Here's what this AI expert had to say

As a ‘90s baby, I always think back to all those films that transported me into a far-flung future full of humans conversing with AI avatars.

As I sit here and look around in 2026, that future scenario is all too real. Chatbots and AI agents, such as Meta’s Muse, Microsoft Copilot and OpenAI’s Dots, are recognized for relying on avatars meant to make users more comfortable with their presence. Companies are even incorporating the use of human-like features for their AI usage by utilizing chatbot screenings of job applicants and allowing their workers to use chatbots as work tools.

According to 2026 data from the Pew Research Center, about half of adults in the US use AI chatbots and 38% of employed adults use them for tasks at work. And with the rise of AI tools using facial technology to interact with humans, two lingering questions are making the rounds: does a face alone make AI more acceptable? And does an AI’s avatar need to be relatable and accessible to build trust with its user?

Ariel Hitron, CEO and Co-Founder of Second Nature, which is a company that builds conversational AI personas for enterprise training at major organizations, answered those questions for me and so much more.

Making people feel understood is the most important thing. People already have very personal conversations with AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude without any human face on the screen. What matters is whether the AI understands what you’re saying and responds in a way that feels relevant to you.


Source link
Related Topics:Tech

Disclaimer

We strive to uphold the highest ethical standards in all of our reporting and coverage. We TheMorningPulse.fyi want to be transparent with our readers about any potential conflicts of interest that may arise in our work. It's possible that some of the investors we feature may have connections to other businesses, including competitors or companies we write about. However, we want to assure our readers that this will not have any impact on the integrity or impartiality of our reporting. We are committed to delivering accurate, unbiased news and information to our audience, and we will continue to uphold our ethics and principles in all of our work. Thank you for your trust and support.