LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman made headlines as he engaged in a pioneering interview with his own AI-generated ‘digital twin’ as they discussed about the future of AI.
In a video shared by journalist Emily Chang, Hoffman”s digital twin, dubbed Reid AI, engaged in a conversation with the interviewer. “Career milestone today… for the first time, I talked to a deepfake, I mean, Reid Hoffman’s digital twin.,” she wrote on an X (formerly known as Twitter) post.
Career milestone today…for the first time, I talked to a deepfake, I mean, @reidhoffman’s digital twin.
Whaddya think?! pic.twitter.com/8P02QW8wiA
— Emily Chang (@emilychangtv) May 9, 2024
Hoffman himself had shared an interview with ‘Reid AI’ and himself. He captioned the video, “Why did I deepfake myself? To see if conversing with an AI-generated version of myself can lead to self-reflection, new insights into my thought patters, and deep truths.”
The AI, powered by OpenAI”s GPT-4 and trained on Hoffman”s extensive public records including his books, podcasts and speeches, discussed the importance of AI regulation for positive societal contributions and fair distribution of benefits.
Why did I deepfake myself? To see if conversing with an AI-generated version of myself can lead to self-reflection, new insights into my thought patterns, and deep truths. pic.twitter.com/DWODoZ9lXL
— Reid Hoffman (@reidhoffman) April 24, 2024
The groundbreaking interview prompted a reaction from Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma. Sharing the video, Sharma wrote, “So “Digital Twins” Will that a legit new term for your AI version?”
The LinkedIn co-founder’s motivation for creating his digital twin stemmed from a curiosity about AI capabilities rather than a desire for replication. He expressed, “I initially thought I would hate this, but I’ve actually found it kind of interesting.” The interview includes discussions about AI ethics, job impacts, the necessity of regulatory guidelines, and the different ways Hoffman could improve his LinkedIn profile.
The conversation with his digital twin touched on various aspects, including AI”s role in job markets, ethical considerations surrounding deepfakes, and the potential for positive contributions to society. Surprisingly, Reid AI advocated for government regulation to ensure responsible AI development and equitable distribution of benefits.
Hoffman”s blog post further elaborated on his motivations, emphasizing the need for awareness and thoughtfulness in shaping the future of AI technology. When Reid AI asked about the risks associated with AI technology, especially regarding stealing jobs, the real Hoffman said, “We win by embracing it first, learning early, and doing it as a society, even though it will create some pain in transition.”