Don Tapscott’s new book (co-author Joseph Bradley) is You to the Power of Two: Redefining Human Potential in the Age of Identic AI.

Only a few years ago, the world was captivated by generative artificial intelligence – systems like ChatGPT that could write, summarize and create with startling fluency. That breakthrough was quickly followed by agentic AI, which extended those capabilities by giving AI initiative and the ability to act, manage tasks and pursue goals without constant prompting. AI agents are now permeating call centres, supply chains, financial systems, manufacturing and beyond.

Today we’re on the threshold of a far more profound development for each of us: the rise of personal agents – intelligent companions that learn who we are, reflect our values and begin to operate as extensions of ourselves.

Call this identic AI.

These personal agents are far more than digital helpers. They will function as a consigliere, private doctor, cultural curator, mentor, librarian, editor, financial planner and, at times, counsellor. They will learn our habits, anticipate our needs, extend our capabilities and increasingly act on our behalf. If designed responsibly, these digital counterparts could help Canadians navigate a more complex world and lead richer, more purposeful lives.

Picture a morning a couple of years from now. Before you’re fully awake, your AI has checked your health data, reviewed your schedule, flagged a traffic delay, surfaced a news item that you’ll care about and drafted e-mails for you. It suggests a playlist and reminds you about your sister’s birthday – with tailored gift ideas.

On your commute, it previews a conference it will attend for you, blocks a phishing attempt, preps you for a hard conversation and queues an article tied to your learning goals. It filters rather than floods. By the time you reach the office, it has adjusted your agenda, handled routine queries from colleagues, optimized a workflow to solve a problem and renegotiated a rate with your bank. Later, it checks your spending against long-term goals, recommends a diet tweak, flags........

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