The Next Interface: Why Digital Humans Matter More Than You Think
Reid Hoffman recently wrote about being “voice pilled,” that moment when you realize that speaking to technology unlocks something fundamentally different than typing at it.
He’s absolutely right. And at CodeBaby, we’ve taken that insight even further. Because while voice is transformative, it’s only part of the story.
Every major leap in how we use technology has come from better interfaces, not just better technology. The mouse made computers accessible to everyone. The touchscreen made them intuitive. Voice makes them conversational. But digital humans? They make technology truly relational. And that changes everything.
More Than Just Voice
Being “voice pilled” is realizing how natural it feels to talk to AI instead of typing carefully crafted prompts. But voice alone isn’t enough for the kinds of interactions that actually matter.
When you combine conversational AI with digital humans (what we call avatars at CodeBaby), you get something qualitatively different. It’s not just about efficiency anymore. It’s about creating digital interactions that feel genuinely supportive rather than transactional.
Think about it this way: when you’re explaining a complex problem to someone, you’re not just listening to their words. You’re watching their face to see if they understand. You’re noticing when they lean in with interest or pull back in confusion. All of that nonverbal communication matters, and it’s completely missing from voice-only interfaces.
What This Means for How We Work
In the workplace, we’re moving past the era of AI as just another tool in the toolbox. Digital humans can become actual collaborators that you interact with naturally.
Instead of crafting the perfect prompt or navigating complex dashboards, imagine thinking out loud with an avatar that can follow your reasoning, ask clarifying questions, and help you refine your ideas. It’s the difference between using a calculator and having a conversation with someone who’s good at math.
The real value here isn’t just efficiency (though that matters). It’s that this kind of natural interaction lets people stay in their creative flow while AI handles the procedural complexity. You get to focus on strategy and innovation while your digital colleague manages the information processing.
Websites Are About to Get a Lot More Helpful
For decades, websites have basically been digital brochures with search bars. Even chatbots haven’t really changed that; they’re mostly just a different way to navigate the same static information.
But imagine visiting a university website and having an avatar that can actually walk you through your options like a real admissions counselor would. Not just answering questions, but noticing when you seem overwhelmed and adjusting their approach. Picking up on what matters most to you and focusing there.
Or think about healthcare websites where a digital human can listen to your symptoms with appropriate concern, explain what might be happening in terms you understand, and help you figure out next steps. That’s fundamentally different from clicking through WebMD pages and catastrophizing about your headache.
This isn’t about making websites flashier. It’s about making them actually useful for the humans trying to use them.
The Relationship Factor
Here’s what often gets missed in conversations about AI: engagement isn’t just about getting the right answer. It’s about feeling understood in the process.
Humans communicate through so much more than words. Tone, pacing, facial expressions, body language, these all contribute to whether an interaction feels supportive or dismissive, helpful or frustrating.
A voice interface can capture some of that nuance, but avatars can respond to it and reflect it back. When a student is struggling with a concept, a digital tutor can offer both verbal encouragement and visual cues of patience and support. When a patient is anxious, a healthcare avatar can adjust not just what they say but how they present themselves.
This is the difference between transactional chat and relational conversation. And in domains where trust and connection matter (which is most of them), that difference is everything.
Why We Can’t Skip the Ethics Part
Every new interface creates new opportunities for both connection and manipulation. The richer the communication channel, the greater the potential for misuse.
Digital humans that can read and respond to emotional cues could theoretically be used to manipulate rather than support. They could exploit vulnerabilities rather than respect boundaries. They could deceive rather than clarify.
This is why at CodeBaby, we’ve built ethics into our foundation rather than treating it as an add-on feature. Our avatars are designed to be transparent about what they are, respectful of human dignity, and focused on empowerment rather than exploitation.
We also think carefully about the uncanny valley problem. Hyperrealistic avatars that are almost but not quite human can actually undermine trust rather than build it. There’s a sweet spot where digital humans are clearly artificial but still engaging and relatable, and that’s where we focus our efforts.
What’s Actually Coming
To be “voice pilled” is to discover how much more natural it is to speak to technology than to type at it. But there’s a bigger realization coming: that our digital interactions don’t have to feel digital at all.
When conversational AI and thoughtfully designed digital humans come together, we get interfaces that adapt to us rather than the other way around. Work becomes more collaborative. Websites become more helpful. And digital services become more human.
The organizations that get this right won’t be the ones with the most photorealistic avatars or the most sophisticated language models. They’ll be the ones that understand that the goal isn’t to replace human connection but to extend it into digital spaces in ways that feel natural and trustworthy.
At CodeBaby, we’re building toward that future. Not because digital humans are cool (though they are), but because making technology more human is how we make it more useful for actual humans.
