The concept of an AI human may still seem futuristic to many in mainstream society, but its use cases are beginning to take hold in a very public way. Those who can recall their first encounters with an AI or robot-human might remember feeling uneasy – experiencing what’s dubbed as the “uncanny valley,” a concept that has even captivated Gen Z on TikTok. Today, developers are triumphantly finding themselves outside of the valley and creating AI Humans that truly look human-like. As organizations and the general public become more comfortable encountering generative AI technology in their daily activities and rituals, AI Humans will gradually take on a larger role in creating ease and efficiency. But AI Humans are not here to replace jobs, rather, they supplement the work being done and fill in the gaps to enhance employee and customer experiences.

Let’s explore three areas where AI humans are already helping employees and everyday people in their lives.

Some day, every person will likely have their own AI Human with the same appearance, voice, gestures, and mannerisms, also known as a digital twin. A digital twin today is used in many industries, like manufacturing and healthcare, as a virtual forecasting model of a thing that already exists, so a user can test how that thing would respond under certain conditions or events. When a digital twin is created for a person, it can be used as a tool to enhance productivity and efficiency, or even serve as a stand-in. Celebrities are already leveraging this technology.

Howie Mandel, television personality and comedian, is a vocal advocate of digital twins to create unique fan experiences. “AI Howie” is of use to real Howie as an interactive character who can answer questions and tell stories when asked.

Tottenham Hotspur player, Son Heung-min, used his digital twin “AI Sonny” in his home country of South Korea as a marketing and community awareness initiative to educate and inspire mental, physical, and environmental wellness. "AI Sonny” has the capabilities to interact with fans and build connections with audiences in a way that the real Son Heung-min doesn’t have the time availability for.

However, athletes and celebrities are not the only ones already using AI Humans to support their workloads and visually represent them.

News broadcast is on the verge of a major transformation. Generative AI is being used by journalists throughout their reporting process, from the stages of information gathering through production. AI video generation can instantly analyze large amounts of data from a variety of sources to provide real-time updates on developing stories. When this video software is paired with a custom, hyper-realistic avatar, an “AI news anchor” is then available to news media.

Staffing shortages are squeezing an already exhausted industry, presenting a novel opportunity for AI news anchors to fill in and provide 24/7 coverage. Enlisting the help of a news anchor in the face of a weather emergency, for example, would be especially helpful when the on-air talent is unavailable or unable to reach the studio.

In April 2023, Fox 26 Houston debuted Riva Houston, a virtual correspondent. No matter the hour, Riva is always ready to go on air, but she mainly covers updates and upcoming events going into the week or weekend. Of course, in any instance of an AI Human being used in a public-facing way, it’s important to maintain transparency with audiences to not be misleading.

Labor shortages in customer service positions have led to a rise in self-service. Retail and grocery stores have increasingly relied on self-checkout in recent years, and customers have been supportive of this change. Some stores are enlisting help in unique ways to ensure customers have a satisfactory shopping experience that meets all of their needs. One example is AI Kiosks, touchscreens paired with a friendly AI human face, that are scattered on store floors for customers to reference when locating products or to answer any general questions. Customers may also be introduced to new products through the interface. A similar product can be tailored to other industries, like banking or hospitality.

Within a hospitality setting, guests can interact with an AI Concierge to answer their basic inquiries, like when the pool opens and where the nearest pharmacy is. Unsurprisingly, the most common questions ask which restaurants are the best in the area. An AI Concierge is intuitive and fun for guests to use and frees up time for staff to focus on more complex requests and situations.

In conclusion, as people become more accustomed to generative AI’s ability to create ease and efficiencies, AI Humans helping real humans will be an ordinary occurrence in everyday life, increasing the visibility of the technology.