We humans are obsessed with technologies that blur the boundaries between what is real and what is fabricated. In fact, two of the hottest fields right now are defined by how effectively they can deceive us: the metaverse and artificial intelligence. When it comes to the metaverse, the goal of VR and AR technology is to fool the senses, making computer-generated content seem like real-world experiences. On the AI front, Alan Turing famously threw down the gauntlet, stating that the ultimate test of a human-level AI would be to successfully fool us into believing that it was human. Whether you're looking forward to these technologies or not, their power of deception will soon transform society.

Pasadena-based artificial intelligence tech startup Oben is about to roll out its first product, PAI (Personal AI), a consumer app designed to let users create an AI-driven avatar with their own look and voice. Its underlying AI technology is already getting some select professional use. Overall, Oben's team believes AI can have a wide range of uses, such as in virtual and augmented reality, gaming, content creation and retail. With PAI, users essentially "teach" the app about themselves. "You take a selfie, and a visual avatar is ready in the app," Oben CEO and co-founder Nikhil Jain explained, adding that users can then customize their looks.