Photo credit: Jumbo Mana
Picture drinking your morning coffee while chatting with Vincent Van Gogh about the weather. Sound impossible? Thanks to AI-powered startup Jumbo Mana, this is a reality!
Specializing in generative AI human behavior, the Strasbourg-based startup has created a living character of Van Gogh thanks to a collection of over 900 letters that the Dutch painter wrote himself. This rare treasure trove of personal material made Van Gogh the perfect subject for CEO Christophe Renaudineau's AI research.
The Big Debut
Founded in 2022, Jumbo Mana chose to share its technology with the world for the first time at VivaTech in 2023.
Thanks to the publicity at the event, Jumbo Mana had over 200 articles written about their technology. “There really was a before and after VivaTech for our company,” Renaudineau explained. “We had no clients before. Now we are known and have commercial partnerships with several companies.”
With an innovative product and a compelling pitch, Jumbo Mana quickly garnered attention, laying the groundwork for their subsequent success, including partnerships with Amazon and other French and international key accounts.
Rima Abdul Malak, French Minister of Culture, talking with Van Gogh at VivaTech 2023. Photo credit: VivaTech
Bringing Van Gogh to every French home
This month, the Bonjour Vincent skill will be released on Amazon Alexa. Renaudineau highlighted the strategic alignment between the startup’s solution and Amazon's commitment to customer-centric innovation.
"Partnering with Amazon opens doors to new opportunities and accelerates our growth trajectory," he affirms. “The strength of our AI is it’s not a question-answer system, it's a real conversation. So you can talk about what you want with Van Gogh. You can discuss the weather, the seasons, painting, and really any subject that you want with Van Gogh.
“For example, Van Gogh visited Paris in his lifetime. So, we can talk with him about the Eiffel Tower, Le Louvre, the Luxembourg Gardens, etc. And have a real conversation, like you talk to an old man or old friend.”
Traveling With Jumbo Mana Living Characters
In addition to their collaboration with Amazon, Jumbo Mana sealed a strategic partnership with a French transportation actor, a testament to the versatility and scalability of their solutions.
For this partnership, Jumbo Mana is working on a use case to bring their technology to life in the form of interactive avatars. “It will be used for example in welcoming agents to help travelers in airports or subway stations to get information in real-time and to help them to navigate in the airport or station.”
Check out what these interactive avatars look like.
AI Acceleration
Reflecting on their debut at VivaTech, Renaudineau recounts the engaging atmosphere and the invaluable connections forged during the event. "VivaTech provided us with a platform to showcase our AI solution and connect with industry leaders," he remarked. "The event opened doors for us, enabling conversations with potential partners."
We’re looking forward to seeing what this gen AI startup will come up with next.
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