Connect with us

Technology

First International Bank of Israel Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year of 2024

Published

on

Reflects continued growth and strong profitability while maintaining financial stability

TEL AVIV, Israel, March 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — First International Bank of Israel (TASE: FIBI) one of Israel’s major banking groups, today announced its results for the fourth quarter of the year.

Financial Highlights

Net income of NIS 2,371  million in the year 2024; Return on equity 19%;Net income of NIS 573 million in the fourth quarter of 2024; Return on equity 17.4%Net credit to the public grew by 10% in 2024 and by 3.7% in the fourth quarter;Deposits from the public grew by 12.4% in 2024 and by 0.9% in the fourth quarter;Customers’ assets grew by 25% in 2024 and by 5% in the fourth quarter, and reached NIS 839 billion;Equity attributed to the Bank’s shareholders amounted to NIS 13.4 billion; an increase of 11.3% compared to the end of 2023; Tier 1 shareholders’ equity ratio of 11.31%;The Bank’s Board of Directors decided on the distribution of a dividend amounting to NIS 228 million, representing a return of 40% of the net income;

Financial Results of the Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024

The First International Group’s net income amounted to NIS 2,371 million in 2024, an increase of 9.2% compared with that of the previous year. The return on equity reached 19%.

In the fourth quarter of the year, the net income amounted to NIS 573 million, an increase of 14.8% over that of the previous year. The return on equity was 17.4%.

Credit to the public, net, amounted to NIS 129.4 billion, an increase of 10% in 2024 and an increase of 3.7% in the fourth quarter.

Deposits from the public amounted to NIS 214.8 billion, an increase of 12.4% in 2024 and 0.9% in the fourth quarter. The customers’ assets portfolio increased by 25% in comparison with that of the previous year and by 5% in the fourth quarter of 2024, and amounted to NIS 839 billion.

Equity attributed to the Bank’s shareholders increased to NIS 13.4 billion, an increase of 11.3% by comparison with the end of 2023. The tier 1 shareholders’ equity ratio increased to 11.31%, 2.1 percentage points above the required regulatory amount. The liquidity coverage ratio remained high and stood at 165%.

Considering the directives of the Supervisor of Banks regarding Capital Planning and Profits Distribution Policy, the Bank’s Board of Directors approved the distribution of a cash dividend to shareholders amounting to NIS 228 million, representing 40% of net income. The Board of Directors will continue to consider the implementation of the Bank’s dividend distribution policy, according to which the bank will distribute up to 50% of its net profit each year, in light of ongoing developments and impacts on the economy and the Bank.

Income for credit losses amounted to NIS 16 million in 2024, compared with expenses of NIS 502 million in 2023. The expenses for credit losses were NIS 35 million in the fourth quarter of the year, of which the collective expense was NIS 41 million. The percentage of the expense to the average balance of credit to the public was 0.11%.

In terms of the qualitative credit portfolio, the non-performing loan (NPL) ratio (the balance of non-accrual debts or debts that are in arrears of 90 days or more, out of the balance of the credit to the public) declined, and reached 0.53% at the end of the fourth quarter, as compared to 0.6% at the end of 2023. The ratio is an indication of the quality of the credit portfolio.

Operating and other expenses amounted to NIS 2,977 million in 2024, an increase of 3.5% over 2023 and was primarily due to an improved efficiencies as well as the impact of inflation. The 2024 efficiency ratio stood at 44.1%.

Management Comment

Eli Cohen, First International Bank Israel’s Chief Executive Officer, commented, “2024 presented many challenges for us, amid ongoing uncertainty. The Swords of Iron War negatively affected hundreds of thousands of Israelis, both directly and indirectly, and the Bank’s staff and managers remained fully committed to providing optimal customer service throughout the period. Together with a series of benefits and reliefs for First International Bank’s customers, we continued to support Israel’s security forces and to society in general. This is primarily through an initiative we launched in the early days of the war, and which continues today. As part of this initiative, we stand by and supports the brave members of Kibbutz Nir Oz, who have suffered devasting losses in the attack.”

“I am proud and grateful to the thousands of First International Bank’s staff members, for their devotion during this period of war, for their motivation, their determination and their dedicated service they continue to provide our customers.”

“Today, we published the Bank’s financial results for 2024. Despite the significant challenges, the results reflect resilience and growth. This year, we have seen strong momentum in our core operations and strategic focus areas, with the credit portfolio growing by 10% and customer assets increasing by 25%. We have achieved growth through our activity with new customers and the continued expansion in our activity with existing customers, reinforcing our position as the leading bank in the capital markets sector. “

“The Bank’s results are also marked through a high level of financial stability, reflected in the quality of the credit portfolio, as well as the high capital and liquidity ratios. This stability is of considerable importance in the current period of economic uncertainty.”

“We are continuing to improve our value proposition to customers, by providing both a personalized service and also through our digital capabilities. The First International Bank’s customers are the first who can benefit from FibiWise, an innovative system we developed, that provides customers with a comprehensive financial view of their various accounts across all banks and financial institutions. Additionally, we also recently launched a preloaded wallet called Beyond, which, for the first time in the Israeli banking system, enables its holders to benefit from significant fixed benefits on their purchases.”

“I hope and pray that we will achieve calm in the security situation on the various fronts, for the safe return of the residents of the North and the South and for the return of all the hostages. I send my wishes for a speedy and full recovery to all the wounded and share my deepest condolences to the bereaved families.”

CONDENSED PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND PRINCIPAL EXECUTION INDICES

Principal financial ratios

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

percent

Execution indices

Return on equity attributed to shareholders of the Bank

19.0

19.7

16.6

14.7

8.6

Return on average assets

1.02

1.06

0.89

0.82

0.49

Ratio of equity capital tier 1

11.31

11.35

10.42

11.46

11.18

Leverage ratio

5.18

5.26

5.19

5.34

5.29

Liquidity coverage ratio(1)

165

156

127

128

150

Net stable funding ratio(2)

140

146

133

139

Ratio of total income to average assets

2.9

3.2

2.9

2.6

2.7

Ratio of interest income, net to average assets

2.0

2.4

2.0

1.6

1.7

Ratio of fees to average assets

0.7

0.7

0.8

0.8

0.9

Efficiency ratio

44.1

43.5

50.9

58.3

61.8

Credit quality indices

Ratio of provision for credit losses to credit to the public

1.25

1.36

1.02

1.05

1.38

Ratio of total provision for credit losses (3) to credit to the public

1.38

1.50

1.12

1.13

1.48

Ratio of non-accruing debts or in arrears of 90 days or more to credit to the public

0.53

0.60

0.48

**0.63

0.86

Ratio of provision for credit losses to total non-accruing credit to the public

244.6

234.5

219.7

**244.0

221.3

Ratio of net write-offs to average total credit to the public

(0.04)

0.03

0.03

(0.01)

0.10

Ratio of expenses (income) for credit losses to average total credit to the public

(0.01)

0.42

0.11

(0.23)

0.52

Principal data from the statement of income

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

NIS million

Net profit attributed to shareholders of the Bank

2,371

2,172

1,667

1,405

750

Interest Income, net

4,740

4,966

3,803

2,794

2,637

Expenses (income) from credit losses

(16)

502

123

(216)

464

Total non-interest income

2,006

1,652

1,611

1,756

1,523

   Of which:  Fees

1,553

1,502

1,489

1,444

1,371

Total operating and other expenses

2,977

2,877

2,755

2,652

2,569

   Of which:  Salaries and related expenses

1,739

*1,766

*1,700

*1,621

*1,552

Primary net profit per share of NIS 0.05 par value (NIS)

23.63

21.65

16.62

14.00

7.48

Principal data from the balance sheet

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

NIS million

Total assets

248,563

221,593

195,955

180,470

167,778

 of which: Cash and deposits with banks

77,175

68,866

57,130

57,370

57,802

                       Securities

34,396

26,985

16,010

15,091

13,105

                       Credit to the public, net

129,416

117,622

115,961

101,164

90,970

Total liabilities

234,479

208,947

184,920

170,033

158,243

   of which:   Deposits from the public

214,755

191,125

168,269

153,447

141,677

                       Deposits from banks

2,508

4,314

4,821

5,144

2,992

                       Bonds and subordinated capital notes

4,479

4,767

4,749

3,356

4,394

Capital attributed to the shareholders of the Bank

13,430

12,071

10,559

10,003

9,141

Additional data

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

Share price (0.01 NIS)

17,940

14,990

13,900

12,950

8,514

Dividend per share (0.01 NIS)

986

795

942

543

125

Average number of positions (4)

3,555

3,634

3,676

3,715

3,895

*       Reclassified.

**     Restated in respect of the new disclosure format on non-accruing debts instead of impaired debts, since January 1, 2022. Comparative data for 2020 have not been restated.

(1)     The ratio is computed in respect of the three months ended at the end of the reporting period.

(2)    According to instructions of the Bank of Israel the Net stable funding ratio was calculated since 2021. Therefor no comparative data is stated.

(3)     Including provision in respect of off-balance sheet credit instruments.

(4)   The number of positions includes conversion of overtime in terms of positions.

 

STATEMENT OF INCOME FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31
(NIS million)

Consolidated

The Bank

2024

2023

2022

2024

2023

2022

Interest Income

11,097

9,850

5,161

10,506

9,317

4,833

Interest Expenses

6,357

4,884

1,358

6,251

4,801

1,339

Interest Income, net

4,740

4,966

3,803

4,255

4,516

3,494

Expenses (income) from credit losses

(16)

502

123

(23)

484

118

Net Interest Income after expenses from credit losses

4,756

4,464

3,680

4,278

4,032

3,376

Non-Interest Income

Non-Interest Financing income

432

142

113

432

161

111

Fees

1,553

1,502

1,489

1,387

1,348

1,331

Other income

21

8

9

78

62

66

Total non-Interest income

2,006

1,652

1,611

1,897

1,571

1,508

Operating and other expenses

Salaries and related expenses

1,739

*1,766

*1,700

1,620

*1,644

*1,582

Maintenance and depreciation of premises and equipment

359

*321

*312

334

*297

*288

Amortizations and impairment of intangible assets

134

122

113

133

120

111

Other expenses

745

668

630

717

642

604

Total operating and other expenses

2,977

2,877

2,755

2,804

2,703

2,585

Profit before taxes

3,785

3,239

2,536

3,371

2,900

2,299

Provision for taxes on profit

1,383

1,090

884

1,228

973

801

Profit after taxes

2,402

2,149

1,652

2,143

1,927

1,498

The bank’s share in profit of equity-basis investee, after taxes

74

113

74

228

245

169

Net profit:

Before attribution to non-controlling interests

2,476

2,262

1,726

2,371

2,172

1,667

Attributed to non-controlling interests

(105)

(90)

(59)

Attributed to shareholders of the Bank

2,371

2,172

1,667

2,371

2,172

1,667

Consolidated and The Bank

2024

2023

2022

Primary profit per share attributed to the shareholders of the Bank

NIS

Net profit per share of NIS 0.05 par value

23.63

21.65

16.62

*       Reclassified.

 

Tel-Aviv, March 11, 2025

 

 

STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME 
FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31

(NIS million)

Consolidated

2024

2023

2022

Net profit before attribution to non-controlling interests

2,476

2,262

1,726

Net profit attributed to non-controlling interests

(105)

(90)

(59)

Net profit attributed to the shareholders of the Bank

2,371

2,172

1,667

Other comprehensive income (loss) before taxes:

Adjustments of available for sale bonds to fair value, net

31

213

(441)

Adjustments of liabilities in respect of employee benefits(1)

(60)

25

235

Other comprehensive income (loss) before taxes

(29)

238

(206)

Related tax effect

9

(81)

71

Other comprehensive income (loss) before attribution to non-controlling interests, after taxes

(20)

157

(135)

Less other comprehensive income (loss) attributed to non-controlling interests

3

9

(13)

Other comprehensive income (loss) attributed to the shareholders of the Bank, after taxes

(23)

148

(122)

Comprehensive income before attribution to non-controlling interests

2,456

2,419

1,591

Comprehensive income attributed to non-controlling interests

(108)

(99)

(46)

Comprehensive income attributed to the shareholders of the Bank

2,348

2,320

1,545

(1)   Mostly reflects adjustments in respect of actuarial assessments as of the end of the period regarding defined benefits pension plans, of
amounts recorded in the past in other comprehensive profit.

 

 

BALANCE SHEET AS AT DECEMBER 31
(NIS million)

Consolidated

The Bank

2024

2023

2024

2023

Assets

Cash and deposits with banks

77,175

68,866

76,194

67,472

Securities

34,396

26,985

31,996

25,940

Securities which were borrowed

70

57

70

57

Credit to the public

131,050

119,240

124,573

113,118

Provision for Credit losses

(1,634)

(1,618)

(1,533)

(1,520)

Credit to the public, net

129,416

117,622

123,040

111,598

Credit to the government

1,496

1,055

789

369

Investment in equity-basis investees

842

786

1,826

1,642

Premises and equipment

867

877

847

855

Intangible assets

363

328

360

324

Assets in respect of derivative instruments

2,565

3,651

2,565

3,651

Other assets(2)

1,373

1,366

1,290

1,293

Total assets

248,563

221,593

238,977

213,201

Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity

Deposits from the public

214,755

191,125

207,007

184,082

Deposits from banks

2,508

4,314

4,091

6,344

Deposits from the Government

2,540

750

2,540

750

Securities lent or sold under agreements to repurchase

2,304

2,304

Bonds and subordinated capital notes

4,479

4,767

2,218

2,442

Liabilities in respect of derivative instruments

2,729

3,784

2,732

3,790

Other liabilities(1)(3)

5,164

4,207

4,655

3,722

Total liabilities

234,479

208,947

225,547

201,130

Capital attributed to the shareholders of the Bank

13,430

12,071

13,430

12,071

Non-controlling interests

654

575

Total equity

14,084

12,646

13,430

12,071

Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity

248,563

221,593

238,977

213,201

(1)     Of which: provisions for credit losses in respect of off-balance sheet credit instruments in the amount of NIS 177 million and NIS 165 million
(consolidated) and NIS 173 million and NIS 161 million (the Bank) as of December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.

(2)    Of which: other assets measured at fair value in the amount of NIS 1 million consolidated and the Bank (31.12.23 – NIS 10 million
consolidated and the Bank).

(3)     Of which: other liabilities measured at fair value in the amount of NIS 1 million consolidated and the Bank (31.12.23 – NIS 11 million
consolidated and the Bank).

 

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY
(NIS million)

Share capital
and premium (1)

Accumulated other
comprehensive
income (loss)

Retained
earnings(2)

Total share-
holders’
equity

Non- controlling
interests

Total equity

Balance as at January 1, 2022

927

(181)

9,213

9,959

430

10,389

Changes during 2022 –

Net profit for the year

1,667

1,667

59

1,726

Dividend

(945)

(945)

(945)

Other comprehensive loss, after tax effect

(122)

(122)

(13)

(135)

Balance as at December 31, 2022

927

(303)

9,935

10,559

476

11,035

Adjustment of the opening balance, net of tax, due to the effect of initial
implementation in investee company*

(10)

(10)

(10)

Balance as at January 1, 2023, following initial implementation

927

(303)

9,925

10,549

476

11,025

Changes during 2023 –

Net profit for the year

2,172

2,172

90

2,262

Dividend

(798)

(798)

(798)

Other comprehensive income, after tax effect

148

148

9

157

Balance as at December 31, 2023

927

(155)

11,299

12,071

575

12,646

Changes during 2024 –

Net profit for the year

2,371

2,371

105

2,476

Dividend

(989)

(989)

(29)

(1,018)

Other comprehensive income (loss), after tax effect

(23)

(23)

3

(20)

Balance as at December 31, 2024

927

(178)

12,681

13,430

654

14,084

*       Cumulative effect of the initial implementation of US accounting principles in the matter of financial instruments – credit losses (ASC-326).

(1)     Including share premium of NIS 313 million (as from 1992 onwards).

(2)    Including an amount of NIS 2,391 million which cannot be distributed as dividend.

 

Contact:
Dafna Zucker
First International Bank of Israel
zucker.d@fibi.co.il
+972-3-519-6224

 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/first-international-bank-of-israel-reports-financial-results-for-the-fourth-quarter-and-full-year-of-2024-302399621.html

SOURCE First International Bank of Israel

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Technology

Epson Celebrates Seven Generations of Cartridge-Free Printing Innovation with EcoTank ET-2980

Published

on

By

EcoTank ET-2980 is the First in a New Line of EcoTank Models that Deliver Convenient, Cost-Efficient and Stress-Free Printing

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif., March 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Epson America, Inc., the global leader in refillable Supertank technology, announced its seventh generation of EcoTank® cartridge-free models with the new EcoTank ET-2980 Wireless All-in-One Color Supertank Printer. The most recent addition to the number-one selling Supertank† printer1 line, the ET-2980 leverages proven PrecisionCore® Heat-Free technology to provide everyday users with stellar print quality and reliability, ensuring a worry-free experience that lasts the life of the printer.

New EcoTank ET-2980, the first of the seventh generation EcoTank line, delivers cost-efficient and stress-free printing.

“Epson designed EcoTank to address several pressing concerns from anyone who prints – the hassle and cost of buying ink cartridges, the high-cost of printing in color and running out of ink when you need it most,” said Megha Shukla, group product manager, Consumer Inkjet, Epson America, Inc. “As an industry leader of efficient, compact and precise engineering, Epson has remained dedicated to printing innovation and continues to improve the experience with the seventh generation of EcoTank, starting with the ET-2980.”

The Perfect Family Printer
The ET-2980 combines simplicity with a modern look, offering advanced technology that enhances both performance and print quality, making it an ideal choice for everyday family printing – including content created by AI. With print speeds 50% faster than its predecessor2 it offers speed and longevity, with a permanent printhead engineered to last the life of the printer. The EcoTank ET-2980 also offers uniquely keyed EcoFit™ bottles that help prevent ink from drying out and comes with enough ink to last up to three years.3 Each replacement ink bottle set is equivalent to about 90 individual ink cartridges4 ensuring zero cartridge waste.

The EcoTank ET-2980 features built-in USB connectivity and is the first printer qualified under the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Agile Multiband™ standard – including Apple® AirPrint – to deliver a seamless wireless experience. It also offers the user-friendly Epson Smart Panel® app5 with an innovative interface to transform iOS or Android mobile devices6 into an intuitive control center. For added convenience the EcoTank ET-2980 includes a 1.44″ color screen, auto duplex printing, 100-sheet paper tray, and built-in scanner.

Pricing, Availability and Support
The EcoTank ET-2980 ($299.99 MSRP) comes in both black and white designs. The black printers are available at Micro Center, Amazon.com, Officedepot.com, Staples.com, Bestbuy.com. The white printers are available at Office Depot, Staples, Best Buy, Micro Center, Nebraska Furniture Mart, La Curacao, Brands Mart, AAFES, London Drugs, Amazon.com, Walmart.com. For more information regarding the new solution, visit https://epson.com/ecotank-ink-tank-printers.

About Epson
Epson is a global technology leader whose philosophy of efficient, compact and precise innovation enriches lives and helps create a better world. The company is focused on solving societal issues through innovations in home and office printing, commercial and industrial printing, manufacturing, visual and lifestyle. Epson’s goal is to become carbon negative and eliminate use of exhaustible underground resources such as oil and metal by 2050.

Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, the worldwide Epson Group generates annual sales of more than JPY 1 trillion. global.epson.com/

Epson America, Inc., based in Los Alamitos, Calif., is Epson’s regional headquarters for the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. To learn more about Epson, please visit: epson.com. You may also connect with Epson America on Facebook (facebook.com/Epson), X (x.com/EpsonAmerica), YouTube (youtube.com/epsonamerica), and Instagram (instagram.com/EpsonAmerica).

† Supertank printers are defined as refillable ink tank printers.
1 Source: Circana, LLC, Retail Tracking Service, US & Canada Combined, Inkjet SF and MF Printers Combined, Refillable Tank Included, Total Unit Sales, 12 Months Ending July 2024.
2 Versus the ET-2850
3 Based on average monthly document print volumes of about 125 pages.
4 Individual cartridges estimate based on print yields of a replacement set of black and color ink bottles as compared to Epson standard-capacity ink cartridges for similarly featured printers as of October 2024.
5 Requires Epson Smart Panel app download. Data usage fees may apply.
6 Most features require an Internet connection to the printer, as well as an Internet- and/or email-enabled device. For a list of Epson Connect enabled printers and compatible devices and apps, visit www.epson.com/connect

EPSON, EcoTank, Epson Smart Panel, and PrecisionCore are registered trademarks of Seiko Epson Corporation. EcoFit is a trademark of Epson America, Inc. All other product and brand names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Epson disclaims any and all rights in these marks. Copyright 2025 Epson America, Inc.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/epson-celebrates-seven-generations-of-cartridge-free-printing-innovation-with-ecotank-et-2980-302412669.html

SOURCE Epson America, Inc.

Continue Reading

Technology

Hexagon publishes the Annual Report and Sustainability Report 2024

Published

on

By

STOCKHOLM, March 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Hexagon’s Annual Report and Sustainability Report 2024 is now available at Hexagon’s website hexagon.com. Hexagon intends to solely distribute the reports digitally. However, if you would like to receive a printed of the Annual and Sustainability Report, please request one here, contact Hexagon at mailorderservice@hexagon.com or call +46 (0)8 601 26 20.

As previously communicated, Hexagon’s Annual General Meeting will be held at 17:00 CET on Monday 5 May 2025 at IVA Konferenscenter, Grev Turegatan 16 in Stockholm, Sweden. Notification of attendance must be made on 28 April 2025 at the latest.

For further information, please contact:
Tom Hull, Head of Investor Relations, Hexagon AB, +44 7442 678 437, ir@hexagon.com
Anton Heikenström, Investor Relations Manager, Hexagon AB, +46 8 601 26 26, ir@hexagon.com

This information is information that Hexagon AB (publ) is obliged to make public pursuant to the Securities Markets Act. The information was submitted for publication at 08:00 CET on 27 March 2025.

About Hexagon

Hexagon is the global leader in precision technologies at any scale. Our digital twins, robotics and AI solutions are transforming the industries that shape our reality.

Hexagon (Nasdaq Stockholm: HEXA B) has approximately 24,800 employees in 50 countries and net sales of approximately 5.4bn EUR. Learn more at hexagon.com and follow us @HexagonAB.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com.

https://news.cision.com/hexagon/r/hexagon-publishes-the-annual-report-and-sustainability-report-2024,c4123663

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Main/387/4123663/3348237.pdf

Hexagon Annual and Sustainability Report 2024

 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hexagon-publishes-the-annual-report-and-sustainability-report-2024-302412971.html

SOURCE Hexagon

Continue Reading

Technology

Soul App’s AI Portrait Animation Study Gains CVPR 2025 Acceptance

Published

on

By

SHANGHAI, March 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Soul App, a trailblazer in the “Social + AI” domain, has once again demonstrated its commitment to harnessing the power of artificial intelligence in social networking. The company’s latest achievement is the acceptance of its research paper on real-time, AI-driven portrait animation at the 2025 Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (CVPR), one of the most esteemed conferences in the fields of AI and computer vision.

CVPR is renowned for attracting top-tier research from both industry leaders and top academic institutions worldwide. This year, the conference received a staggering 13,008 submissions, of which only 2,878 were accepted, resulting in an acceptance rate of just 22.1%. This underscores the rigorous selection process and the intense competition in the field. Thus, the recognition from CVPR is a significant milestone for Soul, adding to its growing list of accolades, including the 2024 ACM International Conference on Multimedia (ACM MM) and the top position at the Multimodal Emotion Recognition Challenge (MER24).

The accepted paper, titled “Teller: Real-Time Streaming Audio-Driven Portrait Animation with Autoregressive Motion Generation,” presents a novel autoregressive framework designed to enhance the efficiency of generating “talking-head” animations. This research aims to meet the growing demand for AI models that can deliver human-like interactions in real time.

What sets the “Teller” framework apart is its unique balance between performance and efficiency. Soul’s model utilizes an autoregressive motion generation framework that maintains optimal efficiency without sacrificing the fluidity and authenticity of natural facial and body movements. The paper highlights two key components of this technology:

Facial Motion Latent Generation (FMLG): By leveraging large-scale training data, FMLG enhances the synchronization between audio and visual cues, resulting in more fluid and natural facial expressions in response to speech inputs.

Efficient Temporal Module (ETM): Using a diffusion-based approach, the model accurately captures body dynamics, adding realism to the movements of facial and body muscles, as well as accessories.

During tests, Soul’s engineers found that this dual-module system enables AI-generated avatars to exhibit expressions and gestures that feel human in real time. This level of realism significantly enhances user experience in virtual interactions.

Since its inception in 2016, Soul has consistently invested in technological resources to gain an AI-driven edge in social networking. The company’s journey began with the self-developed Lingxi Engine, which facilitated user connections based on mutual interests. This was followed by rapid advancements in speech and text-based interactions, as well as 3D virtual human modeling. By 2020, Soul was already leveraging AI-generated content (AIGC) and focusing on intelligent dialogue systems and voice synthesis.

The launch of Soul’s proprietary AI model, Soul X, in 2023 marked a major leap forward. This homegrown model introduced features such as multilingual voice calls, speech synthesis, and AI-generated music to the platform. The recent breakthrough with the “Teller” framework is another step toward Soul’s goal of integrating speech, vision, and natural language processing (NLP) to create AI-powered digital entities that can interact seamlessly with users in real time. The ultimate aim is to provide not just functional but also emotionally fulfilling companionship.

Soul believes that artificial intelligence should go beyond merely facilitating conversations. The full potential of the technology should be utilized to create experiences that are emotionally enriching for users.

 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/soul-apps-ai-portrait-animation-study-gains-cvpr-2025-acceptance-302412976.html

SOURCE Soul App

Continue Reading

Trending