You might have a digital twin soon that could replicate you and your choices. No, it's not science fiction stuff anymore. It will be real and sooner than you think. Read on to know more about digital doubles and what to expect in the future.
Understanding Digital Twins or Digital Doubles
A digital twin or a digital double is a twin
copy of a product, process, and person which is created by using data. It is
believed that humans might have digital doubles within the next decade. A
digital twin or digital double will ideally make the same decisions a person
would make when presented with the same options. It would be possible thanks to
tons of information, data, and Artificial intelligence tools that can make
several inferences about a person's personality, social behavior, and
purchasing decisions.
In the digital era, the quantities of
information collected, also known as data lakes, are huge. They revolve around a
person's overt attitudes, preferences, and even the behavioral traces that a
person leaves behind.
In today's world, even a simple app a person
uses to order coffee can collect huge quantities of data /from users every few
minutes. Some concerns have been raised regarding the prospects of someone
being able not only to identify but also predict and shift a person's behavior.
Fidelity Must Matter
In simulation studies, fidelity refers to how
closely a copy or model corresponds to the target. Also, simulator fidelity
refers to the degree of realism a simulation has to real-world references. For
instance, a racing video game gives a user an image that decreases or increases
speed when keys are depressed on a controller or a keyboard.
A digital twin or digital double will need a
high degree of fidelity, incorporating real-time and real-world information.
For instance, if it's snowing outside, it would also snow in the simulator. A
human digital twin or digital double will incorporate vast data about a
person's preferences, biases, and behaviors. It will also have information
regarding a person's immediate physical and social environment to be able to
make predictions. Also, the number of sensors needed to accumulate data and
process capacity necessary to maintain a virtual model of a person would be
quite vast.
Presently, developers are using a low-fidelity
model, but it would change if the focus were on achieving a true digital twin.
Uses of Digital Twins/ Digital Doubles for
Brands/Public Services
When digital twins or digital doubles become a
reality, brands and public services will need to learn how to design for them.
They will need to recognize digital doubles as essential tools that can help predict,
optimize, and personalize customer solutions.
COVID-19 and Digital Doubles/ Digital Twins
COVID-19 pandemic has led to a rise in digital
adoption and changed the behavior of people/consumers. So, brands must design
personalized consumer journeys and mimic the real world every second. Thinking
about the future and being ready for it would help brands succeed in the
future.
Sources:
https://nationalpost.com/pmn/news-pmn/digital-doubles-in-the-future-virtual-versions-of-ourselves-could-predict-our-behaviour
https://www.futurefactory.in/insights/digital-doubles-and-avatars-has-the-pandemic-moved-our-lives-online-and-are-we-gonna-live-it-there
https://www.celfocus.com/call/index.php/to-inspire/tale-two