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Verizon's creepy digital Lia is so realistic, you'd wish the 5G virus stayed in the labs

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By Daniel Petrov

Updated: Mar 11, 2019, 1:55 PM

Verizon

Carriers and business publications keep extolling the virtues of the next generation 5G wireless standard. Way more always-connected devices, polished virtual reality that will come from much lower latency and faster speeds - all of these coming from the nearest tower.

As if to hammer the points home, Verizon released a post demonstrating how a digital-human communication is brought to life by the wonders of 5G. There is only one subtle caveat - the Lia model is so realistic it's creepy, and we shudder to think what people could get convinced to once such digitized beings become mainstream.

Verizon is gushing about the realistic "high-fidelity" rendering that only 5G can blast and "the ability to have low latency conversation so we can pick up your emotional state and respond really quickly." Say what?

Sensing the frustration in your voice that the king room you reserved will not be ready for a couple of hours and overhearing you talk with your spouse about the long, uncomfortable flight, the [Lia] virtual assistant offers to store your bags and directs you to the hotel lounge where the first round of drinks has been comped.

Lia can be helpful as your personal bank assistant, explains the carrier, as your travel agent, and many other uses in between. The virtual woman is brought by Soul Machines to Verizon's NYC 5G Labs, and if the demo above doesn't send chills down your spine, it's because 5G is not fully operational just yet.

Verizon currently has a limited 5G rollout in a few cities and is using it to deliver broadband Internet, but it plans to bring the services to more than 30 cities this year, so we'll wait and see how long it will take Lia to take over our friends, relationships and our world.

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Daniel, a devoted tech writer at PhoneArena from 2010 to 2025, has been engrossed in mobile technology since the Windows Mobile era. His expertise spans mobile hardware, software, and carrier networks, and he's keenly interested in the future of digital health, car connectivity, and 5G. Beyond his professional pursuits, Daniel finds balance in travel, reading, and exploring new tech innovations, while contemplating the ethical and privacy implications of our digital future.