Introduction to Delphi and AI Clones
Delphi, a startup that recently raised $16 million from funders, helps famous people create replicas that can speak with their fans in both chat and voice calls. This concept feels like MasterClass, but vaulted into the AI age. Delphi’s website states that modern leaders possess potentially life-altering knowledge and wisdom, but their time is limited and access is constrained. The platform has a library of official clones created by famous figures that users can speak with. For example, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s clone told the author, "I’m here to cut the crap and help you get stronger and happier," before signing them up to receive the Arnold’s Pump Club newsletter.
The Purpose of AI Clones for Celebrities
These clones seem to serve as a funnel to find fans, build mailing lists, or sell supplements. Even if they fall short of Delphi’s lofty vision of spreading "personalized wisdom at scale," they can still be useful for celebrities. However, the question remains: what about for the rest of us? Could well-crafted clones serve as our stand-ins? The author feels stretched thin at work sometimes, wishing they could be in two places at once, and believes that a replica could pop into a virtual meeting with a PR representative to take a brief call on their behalf.
Creating a Personal AI Clone
To find out, the author tried making a clone using Tavus, a Y Combinator alum that raised $18 million last year. Tavus builds a video avatar of the user (plans start at $59 per month) that can be coached to reflect their personality and can join video calls. The company claims that these clones have the "emotional intelligence of humans, with the reach of machines." The author went through the onboarding process, which involved turning on their camera, reading through a script to help the AI learn their voice, and recording one minute of themselves sitting in silence.
The Capabilities and Limitations of AI Clones
Within a few hours, the author’s avatar was ready. The digital clone looked and spoke like the author, but faking their appearance was the easy part. The challenge was whether it could learn enough about the author and what topics they cover to serve as a stand-in with minimal risk of embarrassing them. The author uploaded three dozen of their stories for the clone to reference, but it may have benefited from having more content. However, the author would never share that data for a host of reasons, including that the other people who appear in it have not consented to their sides of the conversations being used to train an AI replica.
The Performance of the AI Clone
Conversationally, the clone was a wild card. It acted overly excited about story pitches the author would never pursue, repeated itself, and kept saying it was checking the author’s schedule to set up a meeting, which it could not do. It spoke in loops, with no way for the person on the other end to wrap up the conversation. The author was hopeful that the clone had enough information to be useful, but it was not the case.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while AI clones may be useful for celebrities, they are not yet ready to serve as stand-ins for the rest of us. The technology is still in its early stages, and there are many limitations and challenges to overcome. However, it is an interesting concept that could potentially change the way we interact with each other and with technology.
FAQs
Q: What is Delphi, and what does it do?
A: Delphi is a startup that helps famous people create replicas that can speak with their fans in both chat and voice calls.
Q: Can I create a personal AI clone?
A: Yes, companies like Tavus offer services to create video avatars that can be coached to reflect your personality and can join video calls.
Q: How much does it cost to create a personal AI clone?
A: Plans start at $59 per month, depending on the company and services offered.
Q: Can AI clones be used for business purposes?
A: Yes, AI clones can be used to take brief calls on your behalf, but they are not yet ready to fully replace human interaction.
Q: What are the limitations of AI clones?
A: AI clones are still in their early stages, and they can be conversational wild cards, repeating themselves, and speaking in loops. They also require a significant amount of data to learn and improve.
