The use of the so-called “avatar” of cyberspace, i.e. digital selves that “represent” a person in virtual worlds, is constantly gaining ground. In this context, Japan’s Science and Technology Agency (JST) announced that by the end of the year it will experiment with the cyber-avatar of the country’s Minister of Digital Affairs, Taro Kono, the counterpart of the Greek Minister of Digital Governance, Kyriakos Pierrakakis.
The aim is to explore how citizens feel when a minister addresses them through his digital persona and not himself. A wide range of people will come into contact with the minister’s avatar and then assess whether people are more or less receptive to him than if they met the real minister.
Digital avatars or cyber-avatars aim to allow people to perform various functions and tasks (in the fields of work, education, health, entertainment, etc.) without, any longer, the physical limitations of the body, the brain , of space and time. The spread of their use will enable their operators to take part in various social activities without physical presence in a specific location. In fact, the ability for a person to have and operate multiple avatars is expected to lead to a large increase in their activity and productivity, according to the Athens News Agency.
An avatar that closely resembles a human will create the impression that the latter is present. But such an avatar can also be controlled by a different person or even by an artificial intelligence system. Which raises several “identity” issues that should be considered.
THE Japan has implemented the ambitious “Moonshot” Research and Development program with the goal of realizing a society in which people can be free from the limitations of body, brain, space and time by 2050. The goal is to development and testing of advanced cyber-avatar technologies.
Within this broader program, the sub-programme for “Implementation of a Coexistence Society with Avatars where everyone will be able to perform active roles without limitations” is being developed. It is led by Professor Ishiguro Hiroshi of Osaka University’s Graduate School of Engineering Science. The goal is to achieve a society where humans and avatars coexist harmoniously. In this context, the ministerial avatar will also be tested.
Source: News Beast
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