When Don Tapscott steps onto the stage in Orillia, he won’t be alone. His ‘digital Don’ will answer crowd questions in real time, offering a glimpse into how personal AI could soon shape everyday life
Orillia native Don Tapscott is returning to his hometown next week with something audiences at the Orillia Opera House have likely never seen before: an artificial intelligence version of himself that will take questions from the crowd.
Tapscott will be in Orillia on April 21 at 7 p.m. for a special event marking the launch of his new book, You to the Power of Two: Redefining Human Potential in the Age of Identic AI, co-authored with Joseph Bradley. The evening will include a keynote address, audience Q&A, and a book signing, but it’s the interactive AI component that sets it apart.
“I have a digital Don,” Tapscott told OrilliaMatters. “I will give a speech, and my agent will answer questions on the screen, and he looks like me … it kind of is me.”
The globally recognized author and technology thinker says the demonstration reflects a much larger shift already underway in artificial intelligence, one he believes will fundamentally reshape everyday life.
“This is the biggest innovation in human history,” he said. “It’s going to affect me profoundly, and I’m going to drive it for myself and my family and not let it drive me.”
Tapscott’s new book introduces the concept of “Identic AI,” a term describing a new generation of personal AI agents that move beyond traditional tools and act as extensions of human intelligence.
“It’s not a tool… It’s an extension of your intelligence and your capability,” he said. “It’s your superpower that’s with you.”
While recent advances in generative AI have captured global attention, Tapscott said the emergence of these personal agents marks an even more significant development. These systems, he explained, can already analyze information, assist with decision-making, and take action on behalf of users, and will soon become deeply embedded in daily routines.
“At Christmas, I started talking about this book, and I said, You get to wake up in the morning, and your agent’s been analyzing your health and sleep overnight,” he said. “It’s been analyzing all the news, and it’s got the articles that you actually care about. And it’s reorganized your schedule, and it’s solved a bunch of problems.”
But that level of integration also comes with trade-offs, including questions about privacy, control, and the risk of overreliance.
“It sees you when you’re sleeping. And it knows when you’re awake,” he said. “So, this is kind of a big thing.”
Tapscott said one of the biggest misconceptions people have about artificial intelligence is that it remains simply a tool, rather than something far more transformative.
“People think it’s a tool,” he said. “But what I’m talking about is not a tool.”
Instead, he believes individuals will increasingly be defined by how effectively they develop and manage their AI counterparts.
“If you’re looking for a job, will employers look at you and your experience and your resume, or will they want to know about your agent and how well you’ve developed your extended intelligence?” he said.
For communities like Orillia, the implications are immediate, not distant.
“This is not about the future. This is happening right now.”
Tapscott points to examples from his own life, including using AI to help manage health challenges within his family and guide recovery following a recent hip replacement. The technology, he said, can also assist with everyday decision-making, productivity, and even personal relationships, provided users remain aware of its limitations.
“Everybody needs to be thinking about that and developing these things as well,” he said, noting the importance of recognizing misinformation and so-called AI “hallucinations.”
Despite the risks, Tapscott believes the potential upside is enormous if individuals and communities take an active role in shaping how the technology evolves.
“The future is not something to be predicted,” he said. “It’s something to be achieved.”
That sense of responsibility is part of what motivates his return to Orillia, a city he credits with shaping his early life.
Though born in Niagara Falls, Tapscott moved to Orillia at age 10 and was part of the first graduating class at Park Street Collegiate Institute. Both of his parents were teachers, and he recalls a childhood that encouraged curiosity and a desire to make a difference.
“I grew up wanting to have a consequential life,” he said.
As executive chairman of the Blockchain Research Institute and a bestselling author whose TED Talk has been viewed millions of times, Tapscott has spent decades studying the intersection of technology, business and society. His latest message, he said, is both an opportunity and a warning.
“If we can harness these things for our own benefit and shape them with our values, then that’s an extraordinary thing,” he said. “But if we don’t… it can become something that’s demonic.”
Tickets for the April 21 event are free, but must be reserved in advance through the Orillia Opera House box office. To learn more or register, visit orilliaoperahouse.ca or call the box office at 705-326-8011.