Is there still a boundary between real and virtual? The rise of technological avatars and the digital identity revolution.

In the era when physical and virtual worlds intertwine in an intricate interplay of connections, the lines between what is “digital” and “real” have definitely blurred. What happens online and offline has acquired an equally tangible and real value. Our daily lives are shaped by a “digital self” which, in turn, leaves a deep imprint on the physical world around us.

The time has come to move beyond the idea of two separate and independent worlds; the future holds something more revolutionary. In the near future that is now already present, digital identities may emerge as “avatars,” extensions of ourselves, vehicles through which we express ourselves within the metaverse. Avatars will come to life with a physicality, emotional and thinking structure that will develop autonomously through artificial intelligence.

The aspiration to keep one’s identity intact within virtual worlds is strong, however, there is a shared fear: the risk that this identity will dissolve in the transition from the real to the virtual environment and vice versa.

Users therefore come to a crossroad:

• on the one hand, there are those who wish for avatars to be a hyperbolic expression of themselves, freed from the boundaries that limit experience in the physical world.
• on the other hand, there are those who believe that an accurate and faithful representation of the user, his behavior and expression in reality, would be more beneficial.

A “core digital identity.”

The advent of smart working has brought with it a new work reality, in which virtual platforms serve as places for collaboration. In this context, avatars could play a significant role in making the project sharing experience more authentic. Not only that, they could foster team building and corporate cohesion, creating a deeper bond with the company itself.

But there is more. A digital identity revolution is emerging, a change that is affecting global innovation leaders.

Digital identity is paving the way for the next generation of disruptive technologies. A “core digital identity” for the Web is a crucial issue, bringing with it new models of data sharing and ownership. Innovators are recognizing that this is an opportunity to radically transform the way data is created, associated, shared and managed.

The introduction of core digital identity systems is changing the paradigm, prompting reflection on how to manage access to people’s data when they themselves own it. Enterprises are facing a complex challenge, which goes far beyond technology, toward a transformation of data governance itself.

Organizations that rise to this challenge will enjoy greater confidence and trust from customers and partners. This revolution will not only bring everyone closer to a better Web, but also to a better world. A world in which digital identities and technological avatars merge to create new scenarios and opportunities, enabling innovation to chart new paths to an exciting future.

Images created with artificial intelligence.