In March 2024, Marriott hosted Marriottopia, its inaugural major conference in six years, bringing together over 800 senior leaders to explore hospitality’s future direction.
Introducing the Digital Human
Coherence developed an AI-driven, voice-interactive avatar embodying the “Customer of the Future.” The system leveraged Marriott-specific training data to engage in spontaneous, contextually relevant conversations during live panel discussions.
Technology Integration and Innovation
The solution integrated large language models, natural language processing, and custom middleware to maintain brand voice and personality. Response latency improved from 20 seconds to real-time. Audiovisual infrastructure was optimised for speech intelligibility and visual quality across a 20×5 metre stage.
Human-Machine Interaction
Panelists received specialised coaching to facilitate natural dialogue with the digital character, enabling authentic, unscripted exchanges that connected with attendees.
Conference-Wide AI Hosting
A second avatar named Obaya served as digital master of ceremonies, introducing sessions, facilitating participant navigation, and handling logistical announcements with personality consistency.