Just when you think there’s been enough AI in your feed, you are hit with a trend or a feature that makes us think about how far we have come in just four-five years since the concept’s boom. One of these things I encountered the other day was an AI Twin while scrolling.
Now, there are millions of content pieces created by AI, including videos, images, and even “AI Influencers,” but AI Twins are currently somewhat scattered. This new term comes with its own set of capabilities and questions. So, here is everything about Digital Twins. What they are, how people are using them right now, and, of course, their main pros and cons.
What are AI Twins?
AI twins, also known as digital twins, can be simply described as virtual replicas created with the help of artificial intelligence. Since the AI model is based on your personality, it’ll look and speak just like you.
How To Create an AI Twin?
There are several AI Twin generators online, which offer both free and premium versions through which you can create your lookalike. Of course, you can ask for the most popular options of ChatGPT’s Sora or Gemini’s Veo with the prompt “Here’s my picture; use this and generate a video of me answering questions on a podcast.” But these platforms are not dedicated to AI Twin Generators, so they’ll need to be fine-tuned a lot more.
The steps are super simple to create your AI Twin videos, similar to most platforms: Make and upload a vertical video of yourself talking for 30/60 seconds on a plain background and wait for the tech to work. Just like we do with our other AI chats.
AI Twins: Pros and Cons
Pros
1. Saves Time…
Just imagine writing a script and using the Digital Twin to do all the filming and dubbing parts. Today, the competition on social media, especially in the influencer economy, is super crowded. Algorithms want you to post as much as you can, sometimes even 4 times a day.
By creating your AI Twins, your work will be cut in half. Okay, you’ll need your idea or content, but there’s no need to get ready, find great lighting, or anything while the GPT is busy making the stuff for you.
2. Saves Money
At first, phones are obviously the first choice when it comes to filming content for social media. But, as your followers grow, you want better equipment, such as a high-end camera, quality light, and a mic for better results for those HD videos, amazing filters, and faster results.
But, by having an AI twin, you can be in your PJs in real life, and the AI will be “shooting” content, i.e., you ask the model with a prompt to do something, and then simply just post it.
3. Saves Energy
This feature varies from person to person. But, if you are happy with the result of the AI Twins video the model has produced, you are saving hours and hours of doing work.
Cons
1. The Question Of Ethics
To think social media started as a way to connect with humans seems like a far reach now because every day we are getting closer and closer to relying on digital content, i.e., AI videos, AI songs, and whatnot, because they are in demand and get likes.
And if these weren’t enough, people using their digital twins online can feel like… cheating in a way. Your viewers/followers want to watch the real you, but in a literal sense, it’s not you. You can create a video of trying on a shirt for a collaborative deal over social media, when, in reality, it may not be a fit.
2. Who owns your AI twin?
Just like you get a watermarked picture or video when you use a free version of a GPT model to create your content, and you only get commercial ownership if you have paid for the premium version, should the same model apply to creating your digital twins?
Since you are creating your AI twin on third-party apps, should you get the income you make from the content or them? Of course, being a human, our first instinct is that the creator, the real human, should be the one; it’s my image, my voice, my data!
But, while that’s true, digital twins are made with the help of, or rather right in the platform of, somebody’s code, somebody’s work. It’s their tech. Since not many companies are doing this right now, the terms are not clear. But one thing’s for sure: the issue makes for lengthy legal debates.
3. Results May Frustrate You
Now, this is something that may go away in years, but certainly not now. It’s like when you ask a GPT, you know it doesn’t provide the desired result, whether it be an answer, image, or video, in the first attempt. The colors may not be right, the tone bland, or the vibe boring. Then, you go through the cycle all over again by updating your prompt.
Well, the same thing currently happens with an AI twin, as the tech’s just not advanced yet. For example, you want to make a reel of dressing up in the morning. It’ll take some minutes for the AI model to create it for you, but in the end, you’ll find that the frames are not similar, lip syncs are inaccurate, or there are any other technical difficulties.
It’ll require a lot of editing. Now, my question: if you have to spend all this time perfecting your AI twin, then wouldn’t you want to shoot the material in real life?
Final Thoughts
The whole concept of AI twins seems like science fiction becoming true to my fictional author ears. But it’s a reality that I’ve already seen enough examples of. These are ultimately your digital versions of yourselves, and while influencers may not be doing it right now for any reason. I think, just like AI influencers, more and more people will be trying their hands at AI Twins apps soon.
I mean, yes, today, we can tell an image is made by AI, but they have become and developed so swiftly over the past two years that in the future, we will likely be liking or watching a reel made by an AI twin without blinking an eye. For example, BBC’s Channel 4 just aired Britain’s first AI documentary host, and nobody questioned it until the end, when they were told while the credits rolled.
But the philosophical question stays strong: is it the truth? Is it morally right? Yes, your virtual clone is looking amazing, dressing up for the holidays, but maybe the viewers want the footage of your blunders that happened while shooting the content, not the perfect reel.
Frequently Asked Questions on AI Twins
1. Which Companies are working on AI Twins?
There are many websites and apps through which you can make your AI twin digitally right now. But the most popular ones are Gemelo.ai, HeyGen, and Invideo. They are going to add more models to their library and offer choices and prompt modifications every day.
2. Which Brands are working with AI Twins?
Popular brands such as Nestlé, L’Oréal, and LMHV have already started to utilize the tech for their products!
In fashion, a worldwide spread brand, H&M has already produced a Digital Twins campaign with 30 models. Jörgen Andersson, the chief creative officer of the brand, has said on the process:
“We’re exploring emerging technologies like generative AI to amplify creativity and reimagine how we showcase fashion. The technology offers an opportunity to enhance storytelling and find new ways to connect with our customers…”
