Navigating the Uncanny Valley

This chapter examines how conversation designers address the challenges of creating Embodied Conversational Agents (ECAs) that are engaging, relatable, and trustworthy, without triggering user unease. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork at a Tokyo-based AI company, this study examines how design decisions regarding avatars, body language, voice, and interaction shape human-AI relationships. Designers must balance technological constraints, user expectations, and sociocultural considerations, constantly navigating the “uncanny valley,” i.e., the discomfort users experience when avatars are almost, but not quite, human. The chapter argues that ECA design is not merely a technical problem but an inherently cultural and ethical one, reflecting broader societal norms and biases. By unpacking how designers discuss concepts such as “naturalness,” gender representation, and user trust, this research reveals how theoretical frameworks from anthropology, linguistics, and human-computer interaction inform everyday design practice. Ultimately, the chapter demonstrates that conversation designers are not only building interfaces but also mediating complex social dynamics, with implications for how AI is perceived and accepted across different contexts.