NVIDIA Unveils First On-Device Small Language Model to Enhance Digital Humans

At
Gamescom
this
week,
NVIDIA
announced
the
introduction
of
Nemotron-4
4B
Instruct,
its
first
on-device
small
language
model
(SLM).
This
innovative
model
is
designed
to
enhance
the
lifelikeness
of
digital
humans
in
gaming
and
other
interactive
experiences,
according
to
the

NVIDIA
Blog.

The
SLM
Advantage

SLMs,
such
as
Nemotron-4
4B,
are
optimized
for
specific
use
cases,
allowing
them
to
deliver
more
accurate
and
faster
responses
compared
to
larger,
general-purpose
language
models.
Nemotron-4
4B
was
distilled
from
the
larger
Nemotron-4
15B
model,
reducing
its
memory
footprint
and
improving
its
speed
without
compromising
accuracy.
This
makes
it
suitable
for
running
locally
on
GeForce
RTX-powered
PCs
and
laptops,
as
well
as
NVIDIA
RTX-powered
workstations.

The
model
includes
advanced
features
like
role-play,
retrieval-augmented
generation,
and
function-calling
capabilities.
These
enable
game
characters
to
better
understand
and
respond
to
player
instructions,
making
in-game
interactions
more
intuitive
and
engaging.

ACEs
Up

NVIDIA’s
ACE
(Avatar
Creation
Engine)
technology,
which
includes
Nemotron-4
4B,
allows
developers
to
deploy
state-of-the-art
generative
AI
models
both
on
the
cloud
and
on
RTX
AI
PCs
and
workstations.
This
suite
includes
key
AI
models
for
speech-to-text,
language
processing,
text-to-speech,
and
facial
animation,
making
it
modular
and
adaptable
to
various
developer
needs.

For
instance,
in
the
video
game

Mecha
BREAK,
players
can
converse
with
a
mechanic
game
character
and
instruct
it
to
switch
and
customize
mechs,
demonstrating
the
practical
applications
of
Nemotron-4
4B’s
capabilities.

AI
That’s
NIMble

ACE
also
supports
hybrid
inference,
allowing
developers
to
run
AI
models
either
in
the
cloud
or
locally.
The
NVIDIA
AI
Inference
Manager
software
development
kit
streamlines
the
deployment
and
integration
of
these
models,
offering
a
flexible
solution
for
developers
based
on
their
specific
requirements.

Current
ACE
NIM
microservices
running
locally
include
Audio2Face
and
the
new
Nemotron-4
4B
Instruct,
as
well
as
Whisper
ASR,
an
advanced
automatic
speech
recognition
system.
These
services
enhance
the
interactivity
and
realism
of
digital
characters
in
games
and
other
applications.

To
Infinity
and
Beyond

NVIDIA’s
advancements
in
digital
human
technology
extend
beyond
gaming.
At
the
recent
SIGGRAPH
conference,
the
company
showcased
“James,”
an
interactive
digital
human
capable
of
connecting
with
users
through
emotions
and
humor.
James
is
built
using
the
ACE
framework
and
demonstrates
the
potential
for
digital
humans
in
various
industries,
including
customer
service,
healthcare,
retail,
and
robotics.

According
to
Gartner,
by
2025,
80%
of
conversational
offerings
will
embed
generative
AI,
and
75%
of
customer-facing
applications
will
feature
conversational
AI
with
emotional
capabilities.
This
indicates
a
significant
shift
towards
more
engaging
and
natural
human-computer
interactions.

For
those
interested
in
experiencing
this
future
technology,
interactions
with
James
are
available
in
real-time
at

ai.nvidia.com.

Image
source:
Shutterstock