DUBAI: History met the future in the most surreal way at the 2025 World Governments Summit. Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson had a two-way conversation with none other than Winston Churchill—well, a hyper-realistic AI version of him.
This landmark moment happened during the Future of Government Communication Forum held from February 11–13 in DUBAI. The UAE Government Media Office organised the session with AI Media Lab, a Visioneers subsidiary specialising in media-focused AI solutions.
The AI avatar of Churchill was built using a powerful Large Language Model (LLM), trained on Churchill’s speeches, writings, and even Johnson’s biography The Churchill Factor. The result? An emotionally responsive meta-human that could not only speak but also respond like Churchill.
Johnson, clearly impressed, said, “It was spine-tingling. Having studied Churchill in depth, I felt I was truly speaking to him. This kind of technology could transform how we engage with history and education.”
The Churchill avatar appeared via a simulated video call from the past. The setup included speech-to-text conversion, processing through the LLM, and then text-to-speech output using a synthesised voice based on Churchill’s original recordings.
This was the world’s first live demonstration of an emotionally intelligent AI avatar using this tech. More than a gimmick, it’s a glimpse into AI’s potential in immersive learning and historical engagement.
The World Governments Summit, now in its 12th year, has grown into a global platform for leadership and innovation. The 2025 edition included 21 forums on themes like health transformation, governance, and crisis response—cementing DUBAI’s role as a hub for future-forward ideas.
