Tech giant Lenovo has introduced a photorealistic 3D AI avatar, designed to support individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and dementia, in collaboration with Innovations in Dementia, a UK-based non-profit.
This avatar, called “Alzheimer’s Intelligence,” offers personalized advice and emotional support, drawing on the real-life experiences of people who live with these conditions. Revealed at Lenovo Tech World, the avatar demonstrates the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to create more compassionate, accessible technology for underserved communities.
“There are approximately 55 million people globally living with dementia,” said Dr. David Llewellyn, a Clinical Epidemiology professor at the University of Exeter. “The AI advances in this initiative highlight how technology can enhance human connection, providing a valuable tool to support individuals living with dementia now and in the future.”
This project involves a photorealistic avatar, known as “Liv,” which aggregates insights from people with dementia. Through interviews and entries from the “Dementia Diaries” project by Innovations in Dementia, the AI builds a dataset reflecting genuine experiences. Users engage with Liv via voice commands, with responses generated based on real-life input from people with dementia, ensuring the answers are both authentic and relevant. Each interaction feels natural, with the avatar using a custom vocal synthesizer and facial expressions that mirror the tone of each response.
“AI has advanced tremendously. We are committed to using these advancements to empower all communities, including those often overlooked by technology,” said Doug Fisher, chief security and AI officer at Lenovo. “This is part of our ‘Smarter AI for All’ vision — developing technology that serves everyone.”
Large Language Models
The avatar Liv was created from a composite of images of 10 people with dementia. Advanced generative AI then extrapolated Liv’s various facial expressions and movements, ultimately creating an avatar that feels lifelike and relatable. By combining this with a large language model (LLM) trained on actual user experiences, Liv offers support that resonates emotionally and cognitively with people diagnosed with dementia.
“This AI isn’t meant to replace human connections,” said Steve Milton, director at Innovations in Dementia. “Instead, it provides a compassionate source of advice, based on the expertise of those with lived experience. The avatar shows how technology can be used creatively and responsibly, harnessing the unique insights of people with dementia to benefit others.”
The technology has been tested in controlled environments with individuals experiencing dementia, including Gail Gregory and Ahmad Krayem, both of whom contributed to the avatar’s development.
“It’s important that real people help shape the avatar,” said Gregory. “We’re the experts on living with dementia. The more realistic it is, the more useful it will be.”
Alzheimer’s Intelligence remains a proof-of-concept project, with the goal of making it publicly accessible in the future. Both Lenovo and Innovations in Dementia stress that this AI tool does not offer medical advice but serves as an accessible source of empathy and insight, providing comfort and understanding to those navigating life with dementia.
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