Artificial intelligence technology is often labeled a threat, powering automation that could replace humans in their jobs and render the skills they provide obsolete.
But there’s another side to the equation that’s been less explored: instead of replacing humans, AI can become what is essentially an extension of ourselves, a kind of AI twin.
AI twins merge the existing concept of digital twins, which are virtual replicas of people, objects, and products, with generative AI technology to create a kind of digital “replicant” of real-life people. Individuals will be able to train their AI twins over time, gradually imparting more of their knowledge through daily interactions with it, and the more they do so, the more closely it will resemble their real personality, both in the way it engages in conversation and responds to questions.
What Use Is An AI Twin?
The possibilities for AI twins are quite numerous and they are exciting. After creating a digital avatar of yourself, it would be able to perform all manner of tasks on your behalf in a way that would closely mirror how you would go about doing it.
For celebrities, an AI twin would vastly expand their opportunities in terms of fan engagement, enabling them to connect with their fans on a more personal level at any time of day. They could respond to fans’ questions, share exclusive content and experiences, participate on the celebrity’s behalf in virtual events and more.
A corporate business person could employ an AI twin in order to save time and be in two places at once. Zoom CEO Eric Yuan has previously discussed plans to enable businesspeople to create AI-powered clones of themselves that would be able to stand in for them on video calls and report back to the human when time allows. Such clones would enable them to participate in multiple meetings at once, potentially even while their physical, real-world counterpart enjoys a round of golf with friends.
Experts could also utilize AI twins, for example, to conduct interviews with the media when a journalist is looking for someone to provide analysis or an opinion. Teachers could create a digital extension of themselves to private more personal tutorage, engaging with their students outside of the classroom, democratizing education.
Monetizing Human Knowledge
In fact, there’s reason to think that everyone could stand to benefit from creating a digital twin. After all, we are all individuals and we all possess some kind of unique skills and knowledge that has the potential to benefit others, but the key is to make that skillset and knowledge readily available to those who need it.
Fortunately, there are projects up and running right now that aim to ensure anyone can create an AI Twin and even profit from it. One of the most prominent initiatives in this regard is Twin Protocol, which combines the concept with blockchain technology to create a democratic, transparent, and secure ecosystem in which anyone can create a digital AI twin and then go about trying to monetize it.
To get started building an AI twin on Twin Protocol, the first step is to provide an image or video of your likeness that will serve as your avatar. After you have registered your twin and generated a Twin ID, you can then set about teaching it to be more like you by answering questions and uploading data, images, your writings, podcasts, audio files, and PDFs. The more you converse with your AI twin, the more like you it will become, until eventually it thinks and acts just as you would in various kinds of situations.
Once your digital self comes to life, there are plenty of ways you can put it to work. Remember, the beauty of your AI twin is that it’s just an extension of yourself, and whatever you can learn, so too can your digital replica.
It opens the door to some intriguing possibilities for low-income households to generate a passive income. For instance, someone could train their AI twin to perform tasks such as customer service or data entry, allowing them to take on extra work as a freelancer. Or if you happen to have some nifty skills as a graphic designer, you could train your AI twin on the previous work you have done. By doing so, it would then be able to generate future designs for clients on your behalf, with that unmistakable personal touch of flair that’s apparent in all of your work.
Alternatively, if you have a pleasant-sounding, accent-free voice, you could rent out your AI twin as a kind of voiceover artist. If you happen to have subject matter expertise, you could charge clients for consultations with your digital self, perhaps at a discounted price compared to a one-on-one session with your physical version.
By Embracing AI, We Can All Benefit
Soon, everyone will be able to create a unique digital version of themselves and make it accessible via a decentralized marketplace, where others will be able to pay a small fee to benefit from their knowledge and skills.
Blockchain is likely to play a crucial role in this because its immutability provides a way for each AI twin’s authenticity to be verified and preserved. In addition, it can also serve as the basis of a kind of decentralized marketplace for AI twins. In this marketplace, anyone who wants to hire your AI twin will be able to do so directly, without any kind of middleman or third-party service, using peer-to-peer cryptocurrency as a payment mechanism.
AI twin technology is still in its infancy, but already it’s helping to spell out an alternative narrative. It shows that people don’t necessarily need to fear AI at all. Instead, by taking the initiative and getting involved as much as they can, there will be plenty of opportunities for people to make AI work for them.
