Interview with CIIIC Advisory Board Member Zerrin Yumak: ‘This is the moment for IX to step out of the lab and truly impact society’

The Advisory Board of CIIIC consists of over 20 carefully selected members who provide both solicited and unsolicited advice on substantive main issues to our program team. As representatives of the IX community and ambassadors of IX in the Netherlands, they are crucial for the connection with the industry. But who are these members, what do they do, and – most importantly – how do they view IX?

In part 16: Zerrin Yumak, associate professor at Utrecht University and researcher into 3D digital humans who can socially interact. “Now is the moment for immersive experiences to become a meaningful part of our daily lives.”

Who are you, what do you do?

‘I am an associate professor at Utrecht University in the Department of Information and Computing Sciences, where I also lead the Motion Capture and Virtual Reality Lab. Additionally, I am one of the program coordinators of the master's Game and Media Technology. My research focuses on 3D digital humans and how we can make them communicate and interact with real people. I've been doing this for almost twenty years now.

My career took me through Switzerland and Singapore to the Netherlands, where I have been living since 2015. With my technical background, I always work in a multidisciplinary way; after all, social interaction involves psychology, language, technology, and human behavior.

In my research, I work on two fronts. On one hand, we develop intelligent AI models that automatically generate expressions and gestures for digital characters in games and XR applications. On the other hand, we investigate how digital humans can engage in real-time social interactions with users: how do they remember previous conversations, how do they show emotions, how do they take turns in a dialogue, and how do people perceive them when they are hyper-realistic or stylized?

Besides my work, I am a mother of two young children, and we live at home in an international family where English, Dutch, Turkish, and Swedish are mixed. I am originally from Turkey and have been living abroad for almost twenty years — an experience that has enriched my worldview and my work.’

Why 'immersive'? What is your connection with new technology and content?

'My fascination began during my studies when I discovered how AI and human communication could come together. Games like The Sims already demonstrated how digital behavior can evoke emotions.

During my PhD in 2006, I was first introduced to VR, motion capture, and virtual environments. That's when I realized: there is tremendous potential here. My dissertation was about digital humans with memory, emotions, and social intelligence — and since then, I have continued to delve into that world.

Immersive technology and AI enable experiences that simply cannot exist otherwise. A beautiful example is the documentary The Remarkable Life of Ibelin, about a boy with a muscle disease who was able to build a complete social life and identity online. That touched me deeply.

If we develop these technologies carefully and with attention to humanity, I believe they can enrich every aspect of our lives — from learning and working to social connectedness and creativity.'

Why are you on the Advisory Board? What appealed to you?

'I was involved in discussions about the CIIIC program long before it officially started. What convinced me was the bottom-up approach and the strong connection to practice.

As a representative of Utrecht University in the CIIIC region, I immediately saw how valuable it would be to also contribute from the Advisory Board — so that science and the creative business sector can better find each other.

And yes, I am the only non-Dutch-speaking member of the Advisory Board. I see that as an opportunity to actively strengthen internationalization, diversity, and inclusion.'

What is your IX dream?

‘When I started this work, XR experiences took place exclusively in a lab. Now we are at a tipping point. This is the moment when IX can truly transform society.

Soon, we will no longer be looking at screens — technology will become a natural interaction partner. Think of:

• An AI assistant you can talk to as easily as with a colleague
• Attending a concert from your living room, with the energy of a real venue
• Being virtually together with family living far away, as if you are sitting next to each other on the couch

My mission is to create advanced, accessible, and responsible solutions that truly help people. Not because it’s possible, but because it adds value.’

Which developments in IX do you think should be strengthened?

‘The intersection of AI and immersive technology is the major development of the coming years. But many AI innovations are still too often built directly on 2D datasets.

For real progress, we need AI specifically developed for multimodal, real-time interaction in 3D environments — for human communication as it truly is: with body language, context, and emotion.

There lies a huge opportunity for the Netherlands.’

Public values play a significant role at CIIIC — what is your view on this?

‘Seeing public values as an obstacle is a misconception. They are essential in ensuring that technology is widely accepted and meaningful.

At the same time, we must be careful not to hinder innovation without understanding what we might lose. It's about developing, learning, and adjusting together.

Europe has a unique position here: with strong attention to public values and investments in digital sovereignty — own data infrastructure, own algorithms, and digital literacy, so that everyone understands the opportunities and risks.’

In conclusion: what is your message to the community?

‘IX and AI are by definition multidisciplinary. This makes it rich but also complex. We must actively seek collaboration between different language areas, interests, and expertise — both within and outside our organizations.

Let's continue to learn, critically reflect, and keep the conversation open. Only in this way can we make the transition from clever technology to societal impact.

I can be reached via my UU email: z.yumak@uu.nl, via LinkedIn, or through the Advisory Board: adviesraad@ciiic.nl — I am happy to engage in conversation!’

Photography: Ben Houdijk