Digital cloning refers to the process of creating digital replicas of individuals, objects, or entities using advanced technologies such as AI, machine learning, and computer graphics. Currently, there are many individuals worldwide creating "digital clone workers" to work on their behalf. Pictured is an artistic representation of a "digital clone person" created using AI.
Image Source: Today India
Can Artificial Intelligence (AI) replace "workers"? This scenario is becoming a reality.
77-year-old "holistic health" advocate Deepak Chopra has digitally "cloned" himself and sent his digital replica to work on his behalf. According to Daily Mail UK, the lifelike "AI Chopra" attends Zoom meetings on behalf of the real Chopra.
Digital cloning involves using advanced technologies such as AI, machine learning, and computer graphics to create digital replicas of individuals, objects, or entities. Currently, there are several cases worldwide of individuals creating "digital clone workers" to work on their behalf.
Development takes as little as 1 hour
The digital cloning platform developed by the US startup Delphi AI can use data from podcasts, videos, PDFs, and other content to develop "clone workers." These "clone workers" not only resemble the user but can also mimic their thoughts and language, with the development process taking as little as 1 hour.
"The clones will learn how to think about the world." Delphi AI founder and CEO Dara Rajawat explained, "We have a readiness score that shows how 'ready' the clone represents the real person. Users can upload their voices, so the clone can also learn how to speak like them."
While the company offers a free version for "beginners and regular users," most users opt for monthly fees ranging from $19 to $399. Many individuals, including online creators, influencers, and celebrities, are using Delphi AI to create their "clone workers" and teach them how to interact like real people.
However, like any AI technology, security and privacy concerns remain paramount. To prevent unauthorized impersonation, Delphi AI requires users to provide photo identification before creating clones.
By the end of May, Delphi AI will launch video call functionality. This means "digital clone workers" can appear in video conferences, not only answering questions but also gathering information.
Clones with emotions
Whether attending meetings, providing personalized guidance, or streamlining workflows, digital cloning is changing how people work and interact with the world.
According to Japanese media ITmedia, a Japanese company named Alt.AI has created highly realistic "digital clone workers," which even exhibit impatience.
Alt.AI's CEO Yukari Torimoto has not only cloned himself but also successfully cloned 100 employees. If an employee is on vacation, their "digital clone worker" will continue working tirelessly and still receive payment from the company.
The company states that the benefit of having a "clone boss" is that they can share their "personality, thoughts, management philosophy, and other topics that employees typically hesitate to discuss with bosses."
Alt.AI also boasts of having the world's first and only salary system that pays additional wages to employees based on the productivity of their "digital clone workers."
Providing specialized guidance
Another startup, Coachvox AI from the UK, has created a digital cloning platform to provide life and work guidance based on the thoughts of real individuals.
When asked on their website how Jodie AI, a clone of coach Cook, differs from ChatGPT, Jodie AI responded, "The main difference between me and ChatGPT lies in our training process and purposes. I have received specialized training to mimic Jodie Cook's teaching style and expertise, focusing on helping entrepreneurs break through mental barriers and open the door to innovation. In contrast, ChatGPT is a general AI natural language model that generates human-like text based on a large amount of data. It is not tailored to mimic the expertise or coaching style of a specific person."
Coachvox AI founder Jodie Cook states that digital clone workers trained based on a person's streaming account and their thoughts are far superior to AI systems like ChatGPT.
Currently, Coachvox AI has helped hundreds of creators launch their digital clone workers, with some earning thousands of dollars per month, and some clones attracting thousands of customers.
Despite the potential benefits of efficiency and convenience, concerns arise about the widespread use of "digital clone workers" and their moral and societal implications. As AI becomes increasingly similar to humans and takes on roles typically performed by humans, concerns about unemployment, identity theft, and reduced interpersonal interaction become more pronounced.
However, Cook still believes that digital cloning technology will be widely adopted. "As technology advances, 'digital clone workers' will be able to perform complex tasks and engage in high-quality conversations," she said. "When the progress of a technology is backed by social norms, it will become a mainstream trend."
