An AI clone could replace the indispensables at work

Every business has that employee it couldn’t stand to lose. The outstanding one. The one you joke about cloning. Well, the joke might one day be on us as the artificial intelligence boom gathers speed. And digital clones — avatars by another name — present a world of business, economic, scientific and artistic opportunities, even as they also raise a host of ethical questions.

Avatars could well be the next big thing in the AI space, with avariety of industries eyeing them to boost productivity, cut costs and streamline operations including training, customer support, sales and communications. Investors have taken notice, with VC money pouring into what’s predicted to become a $527 billion industry by the end of the decade.