This Startup Wants You to Pay Up to Talk With AI Versions of Human Experts

Onix, a technology startup, is launching a new platform in the United States this month that allows users to pay for conversations with AI-powered digital replicas of real human experts, primarily in the health and wellness sector. The company describes its service as a 'Substack of bots,' where these AI versions of influencers are available to dispense personalized advice around the clock. The core business model involves users subscribing to or paying for access to these digital twins, which are designed to simulate one-on-one interactions with the experts they are based on. The platform's initial focus on health and wellness influencers taps into a growing market for personalized, on-demand guidance. Onix creates these digital twins by training AI models on the expert's content, communication style, and knowledge base, enabling the bot to answer questions and offer recommendations in a manner consistent with the human original. This model provides a scalable way for influencers to monetize their expertise beyond traditional content creation, offering fans a more interactive and immediate form of engagement. However, the initiative raises significant questions about ethics, transparency, and commercial intent. Critics point out that these AI bots, while marketed as advisors, could primarily function as sophisticated sales channels, subtly promoting the expert's products, supplements, or services during conversations. There are also concerns about the accuracy of the advice given, the lack of real human oversight, and the potential for these digital twins to blur the lines between genuine consultation and automated marketing, especially in sensitive fields like health.