AI technology has gifted us with some unusual demos in recent years. But if Meta’s latest presentation is any indication, the surreal experiences are just beginning. As the tech world sprints headfirst into the uncanny valley, the line between human and AI continues to blur, leaving us to wonder what’s next in this ever-evolving landscape.
One moment from Wednesday’s Meta Connect keynote perfectly captured this strangeness. Amid a barrage of Meta AI and LLaMA demos, one stood out as particularly mind-bending: Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg invited creator Don Allen Stevenson III on stage, where he proceeded to have a conversation—not with Stevenson in the flesh—but with an AI-generated version of him.
In a spectacle fit for a sci-fi movie, Zuckerberg held a phone and engaged in dialogue with Stevenson’s digital twin, while the real Stevenson stood between Zuckerberg and a large projection of his AI counterpart. It was a surreal moment—a human creator, his virtual clone, and the world’s most famous tech CEO, all interacting in real-time.
This bizarre yet intriguing demo was a showcase of Meta’s AI Studio, a platform that enables users to design custom chatbots. Originally launched in July for U.S. creators as a text-only tool, Wednesday’s demo revealed its evolution: creators can now create fully interactive virtual versions of themselves.
Don Allen Stevenson III, the human at the heart of this digital doubling, shared his personal experience with the platform. “If you’re getting bombarded with DMs and don’t have the time to respond, Creator AI has been a game-changer,” Stevenson explained. “It’s helped me handle a lot of frequently asked questions. It’s a time saver. I can finally step outside, take a break, and not worry about missing messages.”
The demonstration highlighted how AI can provide creators with more freedom, automating responses and handling routine interactions while they focus on more creative pursuits. Stevenson’s experience reflects just one of the many ways creators can leverage AI to streamline their workflow.
And the AI-powered showcase didn’t stop there. Meta’s presentation also featured a series of celebrity-voiced chatbots, giving AI personas to stars like Awkwafina, Dame Judi Dench, John Cena, Keegan-Michael Key, and Kristen Bell. The presence of these famous faces—now reimagined as AI chat companions—only added to the overall weirdness of the event.
It’s a telling sign of what’s to come. As AI becomes more integrated into everyday life, experiences that once seemed odd or futuristic will likely become commonplace. Wednesday’s Meta demo wasn’t just an isolated event; it was a glimpse into a future where AI clones, chatbots, and virtual personas become a normal part of our digital existence. And with the pace of development in the AI space, this is just the beginning.
Buckle up—things are only going to get weirder from here.
