Toronto-based AI-facial animation developer JALI is headed to Collision to share insights on global entertainment technologies and local ecosystems
Hot off the heels of its work on the critically acclaimed AAA game release “Call of Duty Modern Warfare II”, the Toronto-based speech sync and facial animation software company JALI Inc. is headed to the 2023 edition of Collision Conference to share its insights on the competitive advantages of Toronto as a global site of cutting-edge tech ecosystem and emerging talent. Co-founded by CTO Pif Edwards and Academy award-winning animator Chris Landreth, the start-up accelerated from lab to market with the support of Toronto’s expansive innovation ecosystem – particularly U of T’s UTEST program and Creative Destruction Lab (Rotman’s School of Business).
JALI’s CEO Sarah Watling will join a panel discussion on June 27th at 12pm at the Beanfield Centre to provide insights on local talent engagement, trailblazing technologies, and the importance of a diverse and collaborative ecosystem like Toronto’s. Moderated by the local tech celebrity and journalist Ramona Pringle, the panel will showcase some of our city’s most innovative companies, creators, and researchers working in a variety of sectors, including video games, immersive technologies, VFX, and e-sports. Attendees will also be able to connect with JALI’s team of award-winning animation experts and engineers at the Toronto booth to talk and learn about what goes into the creation of some of today’s top immersive gameplay experiences.
At the heart of JALI’s success is an innovative software that combines AI with animation principals to deliver astonishing synchronization between the vocal performance and facial expressions of digital actors and empowers creators to direct unforgettable performances in open-world RPG Games like Cyberpunk2077 and Call of Duty Modern Warfare II. As Watling explains, JALI’s technology helps bridge the gap between actual gameplay and the more cinematic, pre-constructed scenes that are used to tell the game’s story.
Not surprisingly, their solutions are capturing the attention of gamers, high-profile game developers, and legendary IPs. Indeed, JALI’s team has tripled in only one year, adding 25 new client studios and 8 exciting new game releases, with some game titles listed as the most anticipated releases for 2023.
JALI is firmly established in the global video game industry worth over US$300 billion and remains focused on the future. A future that Watling sees in the exponentially growing markets for digital humans. Besides video gaming and entertainment, this technology can provide personalized educational and customer-focused services that can adapt and enrich the user’s personal preferences and engagement. It can also support the development of new AI models through such tools as speech recognition, natural language processing, computer vision, and facial expression analysis.
Finally, Watling notes that JALI’s “unique culture of creativity, trust and collaboration is what drives success, and as such, we’re always eager to meet with people interested in joining our team, particularly emerging animation and technical talent from our local ecosystem in Toronto. You will find us at the City of Toronto booth from June 26-29. Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of our amazing journey!”