Hume AI, a startup and research lab focused on building artificial intelligence optimized for human well-being, has announced the launch of its groundbreaking product - an Empathic Voice Interface (EVI). EVI is an emotionally intelligent conversational AI that aims to revolutionize how we interact with technology by emulating natural speech patterns and understanding human emotions.

What sets EVI apart is its ability to interpret the user's emotional state based on their tone of voice, speech rhythm, and other vocal cues. Hume's AI models, built on over 10 years of research and millions of proprietary data points, can measure hundreds of dimensions of expression in vocal tones, facial expressions, and more. This enables EVI to adjust its responses, both in terms of the words it uses and its own synthesized tone of voice, to optimize the interaction for the user's happiness and satisfaction over time.

Some key features of Hume's EVI include:

- End-of-turn detection: Uses tone of voice to accurately detect when the user is done speaking

- Interruptibility: Stops speaking when interrupted by the user and starts listening, just like a human would

- Expressive TTS: Generates natural, expressive speech with the appropriate emotional tone

- Alignment: Continuously learns from the user's reactions to improve and optimize for their happiness

With a single API call, developers can now integrate EVI's capabilities into any application, enabling the creation of empathetic, emotionally aware voice experiences across a wide range of industries. Potential use cases span healthcare, wellness, customer service, gaming, education, and more.

The launch of EVI comes on the heels of Hume AI's $50 million Series B funding round, led by EQT Ventures. The company, founded by former Google researcher Dr. Alan Cowen, has been at the forefront of affective computing research. Hume's mission is to ensure artificial intelligence is built to serve human goals and emotional well-being.

As AI continues to advance at a rapid pace, Hume AI's focus on empathy and alignment with human preferences sets it apart. With EVI, the company is poised to shape the future of human-AI interaction, making technology more emotionally intelligent and responsive to our needs. The era of empathetic AI is upon us, and Hume is leading the charge.