AI avatar in Gliwice: our part in BYŁO/BĘDZIE | GLIWICE
During Gliwice Days 2026, we co-created the BĘDZIE part of BYŁO/BĘDZIE | GLIWICE. In the pavilion on Doncaster Square, we presented an AI avatar presented as “Gliwiczanka”, a woman of Gliwice, holding natural voice conversations in Polish in real time. Residents’ ideas about the city’s future were visualised instantly on a neighbouring screen. The entire setup ran locally, using a quantized Bielik model.
At Gliwice Days 2026, we co-created the BĘDZIE part of BYŁO/BĘDZIE | GLIWICE
BYŁO/BĘDZIE | GLIWICE was prepared by the City of Gliwice, Centrum Kultury Victoria in Gliwice, HOLE Films and Carbon Studio. The project connected the city’s past, present and residents’ ideas about its future.
The BYŁO part took the form of the “Gallery of Moving Images of Gliwice Residents” in the ruins of the Victoria Theatre. Archival photographs of Gliwice and its residents were brought to life with new technologies, and the installation route led through the city centre. We were responsible for the BĘDZIE part in the pavilion on Doncaster Square on Zwycięstwa Street. Installations were open from September 3 to 5, 12:00-24:00, and on September 6, 12:00-18:00. Admission was free.
What it was like to talk to Gliwiczanka on screen
In our installation, the AI avatar appeared as Gliwiczanka. Visitors could speak with her naturally in Polish, in real time.
The avatar listened, understood the meaning of what was said, responded, and reacted with facial expressions and gestures generated in a 3D environment in Unreal Engine 5. The system also used a controlled, approved knowledge base about the city, so each exchange stayed grounded in a local context.
Residents’ visions appeared next to the conversation in real time
The conversation did not end with words alone. Each resident’s vision of the city’s future was visualised live on a neighbouring screen.
Next to the image, the screen displayed the name of the location being discussed, such as the Gliwice Canal or the Polytechnic. It also carried the invitation “Tell the woman from Gliwice your vision – you will see it here” and a live list of residents’ ideas marked “LIVE”.
A local Bielik model showed that this kind of installation does not need an external cloud
For this project, we used a quantized Bielik language model running locally on a regular desktop computer. No server room and no sending conversations to an external cloud.
For us, this is an important direction of development. It makes it possible to build on-site experiences while combining a language model with an approved knowledge base and a visual layer prepared specifically for a given installation.
For us, this is a natural extension of VR game technology
The system combined Unreal Engine 5, proprietary Carbon Studio solutions developed in game production, and Bielik. This directly extends the skills we build in VR games: graphics, animation, character work and voice interaction.
We had previously presented our avatar solutions at GITEX Africa in Marrakesh. In the long term, we are working on a platform that will simplify and lower the cost of building interactive AI avatars, making them available not only to the largest organisations, but also to companies, cultural institutions, museums and events. Gliwice is the city where we are based, and in 2026 we also joined the TechGliwice community.
FAQ
What was BYŁO/BĘDZIE | GLIWICE?
BYŁO/BĘDZIE | GLIWICE was a project created for Gliwice Days 2026 by the City of Gliwice, Centrum Kultury Victoria in Gliwice, HOLE Films and Carbon Studio. It connected the city’s past, present and residents’ ideas about its future. The BYŁO part took place in the ruins of the Victoria Theatre and in the city centre, while BĘDZIE was located on Doncaster Square.
Where was the Carbon Studio installation located?
Our installation was presented in the BĘDZIE pavilion on Doncaster Square, on Zwycięstwa Street. The pavilion invited visitors with the lines “BĘDZIE. ALE JAK? TO ZALEŻY OD CIEBIE.” and “Wejdz i stworz wlasne wyobrazenie przyszlosci Gliwic.” There, we hosted voice conversations with the AI avatar and showed visualisations of residents’ visions on a neighbouring screen.
Were the conversations processed locally?
Yes. The installation used a quantized Bielik language model running locally on a regular desktop computer. We did not rely on an external cloud to send conversations elsewhere. The system combined that model with Unreal Engine 5, our own solutions, and a controlled, approved knowledge base about the city.
What capabilities did we draw on to build this installation?
This project extends the capabilities we have developed in VR game production. We combined 3D graphics, character animation, voice interaction and proprietary solutions originally built for games. We had also shown our avatar solutions earlier at GITEX Africa in Marrakesh, and we are now working toward a platform that simplifies similar deployments.
TL;DR
- During Gliwice Days 2026, we co-created the BĘDZIE part of BYŁO/BĘDZIE | GLIWICE.
- We presented an AI avatar as Gliwiczanka, holding real-time voice conversations in Polish.
- Residents’ visions of the city’s future were visualised live on a neighbouring screen together with place names.
- The entire setup ran locally on a regular desktop computer using a quantized Bielik model.