微软正在通过推出名为“Portraits”的实验性功能，为Copilot注入更具亲和力的形象。该功能提供40种风格化的人类虚拟形象，可在实时语音对话中展现自然表情。此举旨在回应部分用户表示更倾向于与“面孔”进行语音交流的需求。Portraits利用VASA-1技术，仅凭单张图像即可生成逼真的面部表情、头部动作和唇语同步，无需复杂的3D建模。与此前推出的卡通风格“Copilot Appearances”不同，Portraits专注于拟人化形象。微软强调，Portraits形象经过风格化处理，非写实，并保留了Copilot原有的智能和安全特性，旨在提供更自然、更舒适的AI语音交互体验。

✨ **增强语音交互的亲和力**：微软Copilot推出的“Portraits”功能，旨在通过提供40种风格化的人类虚拟形象，让AI助手在语音对话中更显亲切。这一设计是基于用户反馈，希望在语音交流时能有一个“面孔”作为回应，从而提升整体交互的舒适度和自然感。

🎭 **VASA-1技术驱动的逼真表现**：该功能的核心技术是微软研究院开发的VASA-1，它能够仅通过一张静态图像，实时生成高度逼真的面部表情、头部运动和唇语同步。这意味着AI能够根据语音内容做出自然的面部反应，极大地增强了对话的沉浸感，且无需复杂的3D建模过程。

👤 **拟人化形象与安全性考量**：与以往的卡通化形象不同，“Portraits”专注于提供风格化的人类外观，而非完全写实的照片。微软表示，这种风格化处理既提供了视觉多样性，也确保了AI的身份清晰。同时，该功能仅对年满18周岁、并经过筛选的有限用户开放，并设有使用时限及明确的AI交互标识，体现了对安全和负责任AI使用的重视。

🚀 **Copilot形象演进的最新一步**：“Portraits”是微软在塑造Copilot角色、使其更具吸引力方面的一项新尝试，紧随此前发布的“Copilot Appearances”之后。通过引入更接近人类的外观，微软意在进一步拉近用户与AI助手之间的距离，使其成为更易于沟通和合作的数字伙伴。

Microsoft is trying to make Copilot more approachable by giving the AI assistant an animated face to talk with. The experimental “Portraits” feature in Copilot Labs is currently available in the US, UK, and Canada, and provides 40 stylized human avatars that respond with natural expressions during real-time voice conversations.

Announcing the new feature on X, Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman says Portraits was developed in response to some Copilot users saying “they’d feel more comfortable talking to a face when using voice.” The feature allows users to select a portrait and pair it with a voice, aiming to make verbal conversations with the chatbot feel more natural compared to text-based interactions.

This is Microsoft’s latest attempt to develop Copilot into a character that’s more appealing to communicate with, having previously announced a similar feature called “Copilot Appearances” in July. The notable difference between the two is that Portraits is based on human appearances instead of an animated cartoon blob.

“This experiment leverages VASA-1, an advanced AI technology developed by Microsoft Research to create real-time, visual AI conversations,” Microsoft announced on the Copilot Discord server. “The innovation allows us to generate natural facial expressions, head movements, and lip-sync from just a single image — no complex 3D modeling required.”

The Portraits experiment follows rival AI provider X introducing 3D avatars for its Grok chatbot, including an anime-inspired AI girlfriend companion with an NSFW mode. Microsoft is taking things slow with the rollout of Portraits, likely due to safety concerns around harmful interactions between users and rival chatbots, like those under investigation from Character.AI.

“Each portrait is intentionally stylized and not photorealistic, offering you visual variety while offering the same trusted Copilot intelligence and safety features you rely on,” Microsoft said on the Copilot blog. Availability is restricted to a “limited set of users” aged 18 or older, according to Microsoft, with daily and session-based time limits in place alongside “clear indicators that you are interacting with AI technology.”