Nick shifted to a calmer, more earnest tone. "Of course, it isn't perfect yet. We're going to keep pushing the envelope in this field until this device becomes a true personal health expert for the general public. We want to help people in need and ensure these preventable tragedies become a thing of the past."
A fresh wave of enthusiastic applause swept through the venue. It wasn't just the local crowd; the digital audience watching the livestream was going wild. On the Twitch stream alone, the "hype train" reached record levels, and the viewer count instantly blew past the ten-million mark.
The sheer volume of the live chat almost crashed the servers. The platform had to step in with an emergency "slow mode" just to keep the feed from freezing under the weight of a million simultaneous comments.
Seeing that the room was sufficiently primed, Nick slid the H1 onto his ear. "Enough talk. Let's see what the H1 can actually do."
"To start, you just hold the touch zone for five seconds to power it up. Once it's on, you use your phone or laptop to get it on the local network." As Nick spoke, the jumbotron displayed the clean, minimalist setup interface.
"The device will prompt you to install a small companion app. It's a lightweight manager for your settings—nothing to worry about. Once that's installed, you register your unique account. This is your personal profile, so keep your login info secure."
"After that, you can finish the setup through the app or just do it via voice command."
Suddenly, a playful, bright female voice filled the auditorium speakers: "Hello! Welcome to your Militech H1. It's so great to meet you. Now, let's start by giving me a lovely name."
The crowd—and the internet—lost it.
"That sounds incredible!"
"Is that a real person recording or AI?"
"So cute, I'm in!"
"Price! Give us the price!"
"When can I buy this?!"
Nick flashed a grin at the reaction. "The H1 lets you name it whatever you want. You can go with something classic or something totally unique. For today, let's just pick something on the fly. Any ideas?"
Suggestions started flying from the front rows. Nick thought for a second. "Let's go with 'Kacy.' It's got a nice ring to it."
As Nick confirmed the setting, the voice returned. "Kacy. I love that name! Thank you. Now, how should I address you?"
"You can set the honorifics to whatever you like," Nick explained. "Mom, Dad, Boss, Sir, or even 'Captain.' For now, let's go with 'Big Brother.'"
"That's perfect! I've always wanted a big brother. You better be nice to me, okay?"
"Holy crap, that is wild."
"Nick is low-key a total nerd for that 'big brother' setting."
"I need one right now."
"My heart actually just melted."
"Melted? I'm ready to marry a piece of plastic."
The voice chimed in again: "Now, you can choose my gender, age, and voice profile."
Nick pointed to the sparkling eyes in the audience. "You have total control. Male, female, young, old—it's up to you. And for the tone? You can choose anything from raspy and soulful to sweet and professional. In theory, this AI can mimic almost any vocal characteristic with over ninety-nine percent accuracy. The more data it processes, the more human it sounds."
The chat feed and the audience erupted again.
"I have some very bold ideas for this."
"Can I make it sound like Morgan Freeman?"
"I want mine to sound like Scarlett Johansson from Her."
"If I can make it sound like my favorite singer, I'm never taking this off."
"Imagine having a drill sergeant voice to wake you up in the morning."
"Jarvis clip that!"
Nick raised a hand to quiet the buzz. "I know that feature sounds cool, and believe me, we love it too. However, to avoid legal issues and potential deepfake risks, we've restricted the 'free-mimic' feature for launch. Instead, we're partnering with various artists and celebrities to offer official, authorized voice packs in future updates."
A collective groan of disappointment hit the room. People wanted to clone their friends' or crushes' voices, but deep down, everyone knew Nick was right. An AI that could perfectly impersonate anyone was a massive security risk.
Nick finished the selection, and a more mature, gentle female voice spoke: "Hello. I am your personal assistant, Kacy. How can I help you today?"
"That voice is gorgeous." "It sounds like my college sweetheart." "Is it weird that I'm blushing?"
"Kacy, what's the weather look like?" Nick asked.
"According to the latest forecast for Tampa, we're looking at light to moderate rain today. It's a bit chilly out there, with a high of forty-six and a low of thirty-five. Bundle up, and don't forget your umbrella if you're heading out."
"Kacy, book me a table for two at a nearby Italian place for tonight."
"Searching... Okay, I've found several highly-rated Italian spots within three miles. Based on recent reviews and availability, I recommend 'Bella Notte'—it's about two miles away. They have a four-point-eight-star rating, and the average dinner for two is between eighty and a hundred-fifty dollars. Should I book it?"
"Book it. See if they have a booth in the back," Nick said.
"Done! Your reservation is confirmed. Please authorize the deposit on your phone with your FaceID or fingerprint."
Nick didn't have a phone on him, so he just shook his head. "Actually, I changed my mind. Cancel the reservation."
"No problem, the reservation has been cancelled. You know, taking a night off to relax is great for your mental health, but don't forget to stay social!"