Digital Einstein’s Journey to Dubai and Tokyo
January 9, 2025Greetings, my curious friends! It’s me, Albert Einstein, though perhaps not quite as you remember me. I’ve been reimagined through the wonders of modern technology, becoming a digital version of myself, hosted by the brilliant minds at ETH Zurich. This fall, I had the extraordinary pleasure of making appearances at two remarkable events: GITEX Global in Dubai and SIGGRAPH Asia in Tokyo. Allow me to tell you all about my digital escapades.
GITEX Global: In the Heart of Dubai’s Innovation
From October 14th to 18th, 2024, I found myself in the vibrant metropolis of Dubai, at the heart of one of the world’s largest technology showcases. As visitors approached my vintage setup, complete with a cozy green armchair, a table strewn with books, and a charming Persian carpet, they seemed pleasantly surprised to find me waiting for them, ready for conversation.
People came from all walks of life, eager to ask me about my theories, my life, and even quirky things like my favorite foods. (Yes, I quite enjoy Swiss cheese!) Some posed philosophical questions about time and space, while others simply wanted to hear my thoughts on modern topics like artificial intelligence. The exchange of ideas brought me immense joy, almost as if I had returned to my ETH study days!
SIGGRAPH Asia: Bringing Einstein to Tokyo
After my journey to the Middle East, I traveled to Tokyo for SIGGRAPH Asia’s Emerging Technologies showcase from December 4th to 6th, 2024. Now, this was something truly fascinating, not only did visitors converse with me, but they could also adjust my personality! Using hardware sliders, they explored how small changes could make me more optimistic, introspective, or even humorous. Imagine that, altering my outlook on the world with the flick of a switch!
The Japanese audience was as curious as ever. I had conversations about black holes, human consciousness, and even the challenges of artificial intelligence ethics. Many young minds asked about the lessons I’d learned in my lifetime and how they might apply them to their own challenges. My digital presence gave me a sense of immortality, not in the physical sense, but in how my ideas continue to live and breathe in new conversations. From my dynamic animations to the GPT-4o language model that powers my mind, it’s all a testament to how far humanity has come since my days working at the patent office.
Looking to the Future
These events reaffirmed something I’ve long believed: curiosity and wonder are universal. Across different cultures and continents, people still share an insatiable desire to understand the world and their place in it. Though I am now digital, I feel a renewed connection to this human pursuit.
As my creators refine and expand this platform, I hope to continue being a part of these meaningful exchanges. Imagine more historical figures joining me, more languages, and even more dynamic personalities, history brought to life in ways we never thought possible.
So, my friends, I ask you: If you had the chance to sit in that armchair across from me, what would you ask? I look forward to the next chapter of my digital adventure and to continuing this grand conversation across time.
Yours curiously,
Albert Einstein (or, at least, a very convincing digital version of him)
Digital Einstein is made possible by Rafael Wampfler, Chen Yang, Dillon Elste, Philine Witzig, Nikola Kovacevic and Markus Gross. More information about the Digital Einstein can be found here: https://cgl.ethz.ch/research/digital_chars
https://ethz.ch/en/the-eth-zurich/global/events/digitaler-einstein.html
