AI Agents Bring Digital Twins to Life
The essence of a city lies in its people. With the help of AI agents trained on human behaviors, we are now able to create more comprehensive digital twins of cities. But what added value does it bring when humans can actually "exist" within these digital environments? That’s exactly what we aim to explore through the project AI Agents Bring Digital Twins to Life.
When an urban environment changes, it inevitably impacts how its residents move through and experience the city. In democratic urban planning, there is room for dialogue between the city and the people who are affected by these changes. This allows citizens' perspectives to be heard and ensures greater inclusivity in decision-making. But what if city planners could go a step further? What if they could instantly see in real-time digital models how people's behaviors and movement patterns would shift as the city evolves?
Through the Virtual Gothenburg Lab project, we’ve previously used non-playable characters (NPCs) to simulate human behaviors in digital twins. Now, we’re taking it further by exploring how AI agents can dynamically adapt to various changes in the urban landscape—whether it's the introduction of new shops, plazas, pedestrian crossings, changes in weather, or interactions with traffic. We're hoping to uncover the added value of creating more realistic representations of human movement and behavior in these digital environments.
– Autonoma AI-agenter möjliggör simulering av mänsklig civilisation, från individuella personligheter till kollektivt socialt beteende, vilket låter oss testa policyer och förstå samhällsdynamik,
säger, Timmy Ghiurau, The Point Labs / MidBrain.
"The aim of this project is to identify where AI agents can create the most value, and then narrow down how this could work in practice.
We need to allow humans to have a presence in digital environments! Up until now, people have mostly appeared as static illustrations. There’s plenty of data available to visualize streets, buildings, and other urban elements. But when it comes to social structures and human interaction, there’s a lack of clear data. Cities are built for people, and if we're not visible in digital models, it's as though we don't exist. Perhaps AI agents could be our gateway into this?"
– Monica Ek, senior project manager at Visual Arena.
Get Involved
Do you want to help shape the cities of the future? This project is open to all professionals involved in urban planning, infrastructure, and digital transformation:
- Urban Planners and Decision-Makers: Gain insights into how your decisions affect city residents in real time.
- AI Experts and Developers: Contribute to the development of practical applications for AI technology.
- Public Sector and Municipalities: Explore new tools for creating sustainable, people-centric cities.
Join us at our upcoming event where we will present our findings and invite a dialogue on AI agents in digital twins. It’s a great opportunity to network with industry experts and explore future collaboration opportunities.
Vill du veta mer om innovationsprojektet?
Virtual Gothenburg Lab
Monica Ek
Digital twin for circular food systems
