Meet ‘Atlas’, a digital human being launched by the Royal Navy to support recruitment efforts.

Atlas will be a real-time animated conversational digital avatar, powered by a large language model brain. 

Developed in partnership with WPP Media’s Wavemaker, Voxly Digital and the Navy’s digital programme partner, Great State, Atlas is trained on approved knowledge from the Royal Navy.

The launch is designed to further support the Royal Navy’s recruitment drive. Atlas has been designed to answer questions about the Royal Navy recruitment journey, with specialist knowledge about the Submariners.

Atlas has been built as a pilot for the Royal Navy Recruitment team, with the aim to test the effectiveness of digital humans to support younger candidates in their recruitment journey. Its focus is on supporting recruitment to the Navy, especially to drive considerations of the Submariners.

Atlas’ conversational interface is highly accessible and multimedia-enabled. Users can interact with Atlas across multiple digital and offline channels, using either voice or text, and receive responses as spoken answers or on-screen captions. When asked a question, Atlas can share relevant videos or quotes from the team to enhance its responses. Users can explore suitable roles, learn about life as a submariner, or get guidance on the joining process. Atlas will be trialled at events as well as be linked to the conversational experience from the NavyReadyapp and its Enterprise Customer Relationship Management (eCRM) programme.

Paul Colley, Head of Marketing at the Royal Navy, said: “When it comes to AI, our focus is on how we can use it responsibly and strategically to better arm the teams we have. It’s not about replacing human support. It’s about giving the best support we can wherever and whenever candidates need it. We’re excited to launch Atlas and see if it can provide a new, different kind of support for those who would be considering the Submarine service but need some more time to explore and discuss.”

Caroline Scott, Head of e-CRM and Innovation at the Royal Navy, added: “AI is moving faster than ever, and our role is to stay at the forefront of that change. The development of Atlas is a true Government first and by trialling new interfaces and adopting a test-and-learn mindset, the Royal Navy can be better equipped to understand how these technologies can transform the way people connect, apply for roles, and engage with us, while also creating more meaningful digital experiences.”