Ever dreamed of cloning yourself to get more done? We’re closer than you think…

Today, we continue with the second of the 10 core beliefs I have for what the future of relationship and community building holds, a.k.a. my Future of Networking forecast.

For those eager to experiment with—or mock!—AI tools, you’re in for a treat. 🍿

The idea of having a digital clone that acts on your behalf can be a tough one to wrap your head around. That’s why I felt the best way to explain this second trend was to detail the various interactions I’ve had with agents—and a few digital creations I’ve made of myself.

I’ll say this upfront: digital stand-ins still have a ways to go—unless you want to spend an immense amount of time refining them, which I did not. Personally, I’m not ready to have an avatar out there. I may be ready for an agent that sounds like me and uses my knowledge, but a visual representation of me? Not yet. But I wonder how soon until I will be?

🔍 As an example right off the bat, I recently used Aragon.AI for AI-generated headshots. I paid $40 and received 100 images. I liked 58 of the headshots at first. After closer review, I eliminated 4 based on weird things I found in the image. Since then, I’ve reduced it down to just 20 images that I would feel comfortable using.

Why so few? It boiled down to… clothing. 👚 I’m not even that into clothing, but I ultimately realized that some of the outfits were just not my style. The real me would never wear that style blouse, especially not in that color, so if I wore it in these photos, what message would that send to people? These images may not be real, but the first impressions they’ll make certainly are.

I want to leverage AI agents, avatars, and automation for the same reasons other people do: to get ahead, to be more efficient and effective, etc. But admittedly, I’m afraid of losing myself in the process. I want to share that from the onset as we get into the rest of today’s read.

If you’re new to the newsletter, brush up on what this forecast’s all about with the following introduction before diving into Trend #2 below:

📣 Trend #2 is Agents, Avatars, and Automation.

🔮 Here’s the forecast: AI agents and avatars will become standard in outreach and content. Navigating who and what is real becomes a core skill, as well as your ability to effectively navigate around it as a human.

People are already using AI to manage DMs, write emails, generate thought leadership using their own voice and likeness, and even attend virtual meetings on their behalf. Knowing when to let your agent step in and when to show up in person will become a defining trait of modern professionals.

First, let’s talk about Agents. 

In the world of AI, AI agents are all the rage right now. In short, an AI agent is an AI that can think, plan, and take actions on your behalf to complete a task without needing step-by-step instructions.

In the very near future, an AI agent will be able to book your flights, hotel reservations, restaurant reservations, and all kinds of other multi-step tasks. (I say “very near future” because although you could do this now, there are still small human interventions required, like the extra degree of research you do to find the best deal or to match your unique taste.)

The goal is to take things a couple steps further, though. I’m talking about an AI agent of you that someone else can engage with. A “bot” of you that interacts with another person and can apply a bit of logic and interpretation.

🤖 Here’s one example: Tyler Denk is the founder and CEO of beehiiv, the software I use to publish this newsletter. He recently announced his “DenkBot,” describing it as an AI assistant that’s trained on everything he’s ever written: all social media posts, every podcast interview he’s ever done, and a handful of other resources (like beehiiv’s support docs).

But the kicker?

It was also trained on his voice, which means you can call it and have a verbal conversation with it—or at least listen to his responses in his voice on your device. I had to try it. 📞

At first, I simply asked it, “Why did you create this Denkbot? What value do you think it's giving people?” The bot replied:

“DenkBot was created to make my knowledge and experience more accessible and interactive for people who want advice on startups, newsletters, or beehiiv. Instead of searching through blog posts, podcasts, or support docs, you can just ask and get direct, tailored answers. It’s about saving time and providing clarity while scaling that personal connection I’ve always valued. It’s like having a conversation with me, but on-demand.”

I asked it a few more questions, got Tyler-like responses, and then it needed my email address. 🛑

“Before we continue, what is your email address? I'll use it to provide personalized advice and save your conversation history.” I had no choice (other than starting a new chat) but to provide my email if I wanted to continue talking with DenkBot. So I chose to end my session.

I thought this bot was interesting, but I also understood it was not the real Tyler, and just something programmed to act like him, which clearly wasn’t the same… but the responses were good, and the ability to hear his voice was a game-changer. 

Then, something odd happened: I had a desire to fill in the other piece of the puzzle. 🧩 Who is the real Tyler? 🤔 I ended up spending a few minutes on his Instagram because my brain needed to complete the whole picture. I still wanted to get to know the human behind the bot.

I never would have done this much research on Tyler if it wasn’t for experiencing DenkBot. Are bots a way to get people to wonder about you? 💭 An appetizer to whet their appetite, so to speak?

I’ve always touted credibility as a fundamental part of Activation (my proprietary approach), but now more than ever what you’ve done, and who you are, will be vetted with scrutiny.

The company that Tyler used is Delphi.AI, and they tout that their “Digital You” can be used by anyone from coaches to celebrities, industry experts to artists, and more. As I went through their site, I pondered this phrase they used: “Scale your most unique asset—your mind—in an interactive and authentic way.”

Do we want that? Are we ready for that? But also… if it’s going to happen, the people who start doing it first are likely going to benefit. Delphi promotes that you can, and should, monetize your Digital You.

👉 Personally, I like this idea and want to pursue it, but I’m not ready yet. What do you think? Would you engage with my bot? Someone else’s bot? Why or why not? What use cases do you see for these?

In addition to agents are Avatars.

An AI avatar is a digital representation of you that can speak and move like a real person. It differs from an agent in that the goal of the avatar is to look like you.🪞

Currently, popular use cases for avatars are for training videos (e.g. enabling you to train your new employees without being physically present) and marketing (e.g. easily making product videos just by inserting your talking head), although avatars can be used anywhere you’d like to verbalize a message.

The use of avatars sparks endless questions, but here are a few I want to highlight:

• If how people feel about you will be based on your avatar, what happens if that avatar doesn’t have some of the subtle qualities you do? What persona does your avatar portray—do you match it to your own, or create a different one? What happens when someone meets you in person and you’re different from your avatar—how does that resonate with them?

• What happens when someone receives a video of you asking them to do something, except you weren’t the one who created it? 🚨

I created two Avatars to explore the possibilities and pitfalls of the tech. (Get ready for a good laugh.)

First, I used Vidnoz to turn a headshot of me into a talking avatar. This was simple and fast: I uploaded a photo and recorded the message I wanted it to say. 👉 Click to see the so-bad-its-good result! Clearly it’s not the quality I’d like it to be 😆, but there are tools that allow you to upload multiple photos to get a better result, if you’re willing to invest the time.

That’s the current trade off with avatar-building tools right now: the time input to yield better results. However, this will change soon given how quickly these companies are improving.

Second, I used Synthesia to create a presentation with a fully functional avatar. I input the content from my last newsletter about AI-enhanced networking and it created an entire presentation for me. It even synthesized all my text, rather than just copying and pasting it. Next, I had to create my avatar, which involved recording myself reading a script for 60 seconds.

🙅🏻‍♀️ Suffice to say, the avatar was not an entirely convincing replacement for the real deal. My eyes look a little bit… crazy 🤪, for lack of a better word, my smile and facial expressions are pretty off at times—and that’s without noting the errors in the presentation design and wording. 👎

To build on the questions I posed earlier: 

• If agents and avatars will handle delivering our first impressions: how should you program them? What part of you do you want to represent? All or just a select few?

• How do you preserve and convey your authenticity in a world where we can replicate ourselves?

• With whom and where will you allocate your IRL presence? 

Last, let’s talk about Automation.

In the realm of AI, automation isn’t that new. There are plenty of AI-powered automation tools out there—Lavender, Jasper, Writesonic, to name a few, in addition to OGs like HubSpot.

Rather than focus on the fairly obvious benefits of automation, I want us to consider what happens when automation goes wrong—and how detrimental it can be. 🫣

As one example, every so often I get a LinkedIn request with a message that is painfully wrong and clearly automated. The message references an industry I’m not in, says that I’m focused on something I’m not, or—worst of all—is addressed to the wrong name (yes, this happened to me once). If my own experience is any indication, automation can leave a very bad first impression.

Here’s my three cents when it comes to automation:

🪙 Double check your automation often, and every time you make a change to it.

🪙 Use it to enhance your output, not replace your judgment. Don’t let it make decisions for you that can vary from use case to use case—at least until you train it how to handle each situation.

🪙 Don’t automate the part where you need to earn someone’s trust. The more personal or high-stakes the message, the more it should come from you.

Wondering how to get ahead when it comes to agents, avatars, and automation?

You don’t need to be an AI expert to navigate this shift. What you do need is clarity on how you want to show up, and how much of you should be digitized.

✅ Think of agents, avatars, and automation like your outerwear: Some tasks need a light jacket (a simple agent), others need a custom-fit blazer (a polished avatar), and some require you, in the room, being fully yourself.

✅ Be intentional: Not every message, meeting, or introduction should be automated. Know where you gain efficiency, and where you gain trust. They’re not always the same.

✅ Use these tools to extend your value, not replace your presence: Tech can amplify you, but only if it reflects the essence of what people already trust you for.

✅ When engaging with a person or company, don’t be afraid to ask if it’s an agent, avatar, or automated communication. You have that right. 💯

✅ Audit your own digital self: If you’re using agents or avatars, check—does this truly represent you? Would someone trust this version of you to make their first impression?

✅ Own your IRL presence: Double down on the moments that can’t be replicated. Be intentional about when and where you show up in person.

✅ Build your discernment muscle: In an AI-mediated world, your ability to detect what’s real—versus what feels real—will become one of your most valuable soft skills.

That’s it a wrap on the second edition of my Future of Networking forecast series! 📩 Hit reply and let me know what resonated, or what you'd like to see more of.

As always, I invite you to continue the conversation with me on LinkedIn or by hitting reply.

Talk soon,
Nicole

“But wait, there’s more!” 👇

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