VOA科学技术2023--Japanese Company Develops Digital ‘Clones’ of Individuals

Japanese Company Develops Digital ‘Clones’ of Individuals

A Japanese company is developing digital "clones" of individuals designed to take over some of a person's daily online duties.

The company is Tokyo-based Alt Incorporated¹. It is working on creating a digital double – an animated³ image that looks and talks just like its human owner.

The company's chief executive⁴, Kazutaka Yonekura, told The Associated Press he believes such a double could make people's lives easier by helping⁵ them get more things done.

The digital clone, also called an avatar, could be used for things like carrying out early job interviews or communicating with a person's doctor ahead of a medical visit.

Yonekura said the main purpose of a digital double would be to "liberate⁶" humans from the many daily duties. He showed AP reporters his own digital clone on a computer. It included an image and digitized version⁷ of his voice.

When his digital clone was asked, "What kind of music do you like," it waited several seconds before giving a long answer. The double explained that Yonekura favors lively music such as hip-hop or rock 'n' roll.

Yonekura argues that the technology he is developing is more personal than other digital assistants, such as Apple's Siri, Amazon's Alexa and Google Assistant. He said most importantly, the clone belongs to you and not the technology company that created it. Yonekura added that his developers had attempted to build tools into the system that are designed to prevent awkward⁸ social mistakes.

Currently⁹, digital doubles are very costly¹⁰. Each Alt clone costs about $140,000, so it will likely take time before there is a mass market for the clones.

Digital doubles are created by taking an individual's data from social media websites as well as publicly available records. The data is continuously changed and stored in the system. The data is designed to keep up with the individual's changing habits and activities.

Yonekura said he believes a digital clone could open the door for a society in which people can center on being more creative and waste less time on necessary daily activities.

The idea of a digital clone reportedly enjoys widespread appeal in Japan – the country that gave the world Pokemon, karaoke, Hello Kitty and emojis.

But Yonekura admits that cultures are different, and Westerners may not like the idea as much. "I can't tell you how many times I've been asked: Why does it have to be a personal clone, and not just a digital agent?" he said.

Words in This Story

clone – n. to make an exact copy of a person, animal or plant

animate² – v. to make (something, such as a drawing) appear to move by creating a series of drawings, pictures, etc., and showing them quickly one after another

liberate – v. to help someone or something to be free

awkward – adj. difficult or causing problems

habit – n. something a person does regularly, almost without thinking about it

1 incorporated   

a.结合的，并为一体的

参考例句：

• Many of your suggestions have been incorporated in the plan. 你的很多建议已纳入计划中。
• These conditions must be expressly incorporated into the contract of employment. 这些条件都必须明确地写进雇佣合同之中。

2 animate   

v.赋于生命，鼓励；adj.有生命的，有生气的

参考例句：

• We are animate beings,living creatures.我们是有生命的存在，有生命的动物。
• The girls watched,little teasing smiles animating their faces.女孩们注视着，脸上挂着调皮的微笑，显得愈加活泼。

3 animated   

adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的

参考例句：

• His observations gave rise to an animated and lively discussion.他的言论引起了一场气氛热烈而活跃的讨论。
• We had an animated discussion over current events last evening.昨天晚上我们热烈地讨论时事。

4 executive   

adj.执行的，行政的；n.执行者，行政官，经理

参考例句：

• A good executive usually gets on well with people.一个好的高级管理人员通常与人们相处得很好。
• He is a man of great executive ability.他是个具有极高管理能力的人。

5 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

6 liberate   

v.解放，使获得自由，释出，放出；vt.解放，使获自由

参考例句：

• They did their best to liberate slaves.他们尽最大能力去解放奴隶。
• This will liberate him from economic worry.这将消除他经济上的忧虑。

7 version   

n.版本；型号；叙述，说法

参考例句：

• His version of the events is pure supposition.他对这件事的说法纯属猜测。
• What is your version of this matter?你对这件事情的看法 怎么样？

8 awkward   

adj.笨拙的，尴尬的，使用不便的，难处理的

参考例句：

• John is so shy and awkward that everyone notices him.约翰如此害羞狼狈，以至于大家都注意到了他。
• I was the only man among the guests and felt rather awkward.作为客人中的唯一男性，我有些窘迫。

9 currently   

adv.通常地，普遍地，当前

参考例句：

• Currently it is not possible to reconcile this conflicting evidence.当前还未有可能去解释这一矛盾的例证。
• Our contracts are currently under review.我们的合同正在复查。

10 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。