Someday, you might be sending your “digital twin” to meetings; Isn’t this a “Black Mirror” episode?

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

Randell appears in a virtual meeting room. There’s a holographic table with several empty chairs. Suddenly, an AI Avatar materializes at the head of the table. The avatar is a blend of professional and overly cheerful, with a slight uncanny valley vibe. As Randell speaks, the avatar’s eyes flicker, processing his words. Watching it is a little unnerving.

All of a sudden, the AI Avatar speaks, “First, let’s review your team’s output. I’ve analyzed the data and identified areas for improvement.” A holographic pie chart appears, breaking down productivity stats in excruciating detail. Randell a little taken back says, “Wait, what about discussing the new project ideas? The AI Avatar responds, “New projects can wait. Efficiency is paramount. Now, regarding your team’s downtime.”

Isn’t this a “Black Mirror” episode?

I don’t know about any of you readers, but Zoom meetings already feel pointless. Imagine how much more pointless they’ll feel when you’re the only human there. In an eyebrow-raising episode of Decoder, Zoom CEO Erin Yuan told host Nilay Patel about Zoom Workplace, an AI-powered communications platform meant to help boost productivity and decrease how much time we spend doing busy work.

How so? By letting AI handle some of our tasks, and that could someday include sending your “digital twin” to meetings.

What’s a digital twin?

A digital twin is an AI-powered avatar that represents you, speaking as you and potentially making decisions. Erin Yuan predicts that eventually, this digital you will be reading and replying to your emails, taking phone calls, managing projects, and even deciding which meetings it can attend for you. As a result, humans would have more time for in-person meetings and work fewer hours. Sounds great right? Read on…

How would any of this be possible?

Right now, when we use AI, we’re interacting with whatever LLM is provided. LLMs (Language Learning Models) have become a household name in the tech world thanks to the role they have played in bringing generative AI (ChatGPT) to the forefront of the public interest, as well as the point on which organizations are focusing to adopt artificial intelligence across numerous business functions and use cases.

Erin Yuan’s vision relies on everyone having their own LLM that’s trained on their own individual data and can perhaps even be modified to perform better at things like, say, making sales. He’s clear that AI isn’t ready to do this yet, estimating we’d need another five or six years.

Interestingly enough, we are already seeing people make digital clones of themselves:

• Adult film star Riley Reid has an AI startup where her fans can have NSFW conversations with her digital twin.
• MindBank AI is a startup that advertises digital twin services so that you can get to know yourself better.
• Grief tech startups create digital twins that can engage with loved ones after someone’s death.

It’s still hard to imagine letting AI handle meetings — and not being offended when a bot shows up instead of the human you were expecting.

The downside of AI, despite its remarkable capabilities, lies in its fundamental lack of humanity. Unlike humans, AI lacks empathy, emotional intelligence, and the nuanced understanding of context that comes from lived experiences. This can lead to decisions and actions that, while logically sound, may be devoid of compassion and ethical considerations. For instance, an AI-driven system in healthcare might prioritize efficiency over patient comfort, missing the critical human touch that is essential in caregiving.

Then, there is the absence of human judgment in AI, which can result in biases being perpetuated and even amplified, as these systems often learn from data sets that reflect existing societal prejudices. Ultimately, the lack of humanity in AI means that, without careful oversight and ethical guidelines, it can make decisions that are technically correct, but morally, or socially insensitive, potentially leading to outcomes that harm rather than help individuals and communities.

So, there you have it! We are living in our own Black Mirror special. Our greatest success (or fear) has become a reality; the digital revolution is upon us, and as a community we need to ensure that we are abreast of all technological innovations so that we are not left behind. You don’t necessarily have to like it, but it is important that you understand it.