In this episode of Squeezing the Juice, Owen Cotterell is joined by Rob Sims, CEO and co-founder of Sum Vivas, to dive into the fascinating world of digital humans — where AI, design, and emotion meet.

Rob shares how digital humans are transformingcustomer experiences, mental health support, and neurodiversity inclusion, while breaking down barriers to adoption through purpose-driven innovation.Together, they explore the balance between realism and comfort, the rise of AI-powered empathy, and the business impact of human-centred technology.

Discover how AI-powered avatars are reshaping customer experiences, healthcare, and neurodiverse support.

TAKEAWAYS

• Digital humans create connection, familiarity, and trust.
• Avoiding the uncanny valley is key to user comfort.
• Adoption of digital humans is rising as AI skepticism decreases
• Customer needs drive customisation and brand alignment.
• Digital humans + XR = next-level user experiences.
• Empowering neurodiverse individuals through safe, non-judgemental AI.
• Purpose beats vanity - tech must have meaning.

CONNECT WITH ROB & SUM VIVAS

👥 Rob Sims Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/robsims1275/

💻 Website - https://www.sumvivas.com

👥 Sum Vivas Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/sum-vivas-ltd/

🎥 YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@SumVivas23

📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sumvivas/

CONNECT WITH JUICE IMMERSIVE

💻 Website - https://juiceimmersive.com

👥 Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/juice-immersive

🎥 YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@juiceimmersive3592

🐦 X - https://twitter.com/juiceimmersive

📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/juiceimmersive

CREDITS

Host: Owen Cotterell - https://www.linkedin.com/in/owencotterell

Producer: Jon Bradley - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonpaulbradley

Editor: Dexter Gorst

Music: Dom Champion - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominic-champion-865750b9

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction to Digital Humans and AI Integration

03:06 The Current State of Digital Humans

06:06 Barriers to Adoption of Digital Humans

08:23 Comparing Digital Humans to Chatbots

10:11 Designing Digital Humans

14:00 Applications of Digital Humans

16:24 Digital Humans in Customer Service

17:24 The Intersection of Digital Humans and XR

18:34 Digital Humans in Training and Education

19:57 Empowerment Through Digital Humans

21:58 Digital Humans in Healthcare and Social Care

24:10 Personal Reflections on Digital Humans

26:41 Real-Time Insights and Data Utilization

28:10 The Importance of Digital Human Technology

31:01 The Two-Tier Society of AI Adoption

35:23 Understanding the 'Why' Behind Technology Adoption

40:38 Enhancing Customer Engagement Through Technology

42:03 Addressing the Fear of AI and Promoting Awareness

45:35 Innovations and Future Directions for Sum Vivas

KEYWORDS

digital humans, AI integration, extended reality, customerengagement, technology adoption, neurodiversity, mental health, business innovation, design, applications