How many times has an algorithm gotten something wrong about you? There are countless examples, ranging from funny (Amazon thinking that you need more toilet seats) to incredibly harmful (Google Photos labeling Black people as gorillas). Algorithms dictate so much of what we experience, including what we discover via product recommendations, what we see and buy via search results, and how much we pay via dynamic pricing, so it’s particularly frustrating when they misunderstand us.
Digital Doubles Make Algorithms Work For You
Imagine if you could build an algorithm that makes algorithms work for you. You may not have to wait much longer. I just published new research that dives into this very concept. Meet your digital double: a consumer-owned, algorithmically driven AI agent. Think of it as an algorithm that you own and train. Using your own inputs, your digital double drives discovery on your terms.
For consumers, the upsides are significant: Your digital double can help you meet your goals and understand your personal values and nuances. It can filter out junk that you’re not interested in and help find products and services that align with your needs.
For brands, the digital double sounds like trouble, disintermediating brand-consumer relationships. In reality, however, digital doubles present opportunities, such as surfacing high-quality data that brands can use to drive better personalization while easing reliance on inferred data or third-party data.
AI Innovations Help Digital-Double Precursors Evolve
Longtime clients may recognize the concept of digital doubles. My former colleague Fatemeh Khatibloo first introduced the idea of the personal digital twin in 2018. Since then, AI innovations have brought the concept closer to reality. The founder and executive chair of dating app Bumble discussed an “AI dating concierge” to drive personal growth and help find a match.
If this sounds too futuristic, consider the customer preference center: By giving Stitch Fix my personal preferences on style, size, price points, and lifestyle, Stitch Fix tailors the products and brands I discover. The digital double would work similarly but on a broader and cross-brand scale.
Check out the new research to learn how the digital double works and what it means for brands. And for a deeper dive, join me at Forrester’s CX Summit North America in a couple weeks in Nashville, where I’ll be presenting a track session on the digital double and hosting a roundtable discussion on the topic. I’m excited to test the concept with clients and attendees and chat through opportunities, pitfalls, and what’s to come.
