[ExI] Killer apps for AI-controlled avatars in virtual worlds ??

[Benjamin Goertzel]

Hi all,

In repentance for posting obscenities and hip-hop lyrics on this list,
I've decided to start an at least slightly more interesting thread ;-)

My company Novamente LLC is considering, in the future, using our AI
software to control humanlike avatars in virtual worlds like Second Life.

My question is: what applications do y'all think will be most exciting
and popular, for this kind of product?

Of course, once these twins REALLY have humanlike functionality
then they'll be free and independent minds just like us, but with
a different embodiment.  But my question pertains to the proto-AGI
stage, when the AI avatars are fairly sophisticated but not yet
human-level in terms of autonomous thinking.

I think "digital twins" will be good fun ... the AI tries to imitate your
words and behaviors until ultimately it becomes a "digital ditto"....

I also can see a role for "digital shopkeepers" in SL, to run stores
when people don't want to sit their in their avatars and "man" them...

Of course, a digital matchmaker could be nice -- you could send it
to go around and find dates for you...

I wonder if anyone on this list can come up with any other nifty
ideas?  I have a feeling there are a lot of great practical applications
for sub-human-level AI-controlled avatars, that I'm not thinking of
yet...

thx
Ben Goertzel
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