This paper presents a comprehensive study of the role of digital simulacra in the Metaverse space, especially regarding their use in modelling social, economic, and legal scenarios. Key conceptual elements such as avatars, electronic identities, digital humanoids, AI subjects, digital influencers, and artificial moral agents are analysed. Considerable attention is paid to the theoretical substantiation of the phenomenon of simulacra, the definition of their functions and impact on modern society. The study covers the analysis of promising experimental approaches, in particular the Wuhan and Stanford experiments, which demonstrated high accuracy in simulating individual and collective consciousness using generative AI models. The innovative LLM model “Centaur”, which reproduces complex scenarios of human cognition and behaviour, expanding the boundaries of the application of AI in various fields, is also considered. Emphasis is placed on the analysis of the possibilities of using the Metaverse as an innovative space for modelling social relations based on the interaction of IoT, Big Data, and AI. A structural model is proposed that demonstrates the multi-level interaction between these technologies, providing accurate predictions of social and political reactions. Notably, the use of such technologies is associated with ethical, social and legal challenges, including issues of privacy, digital control and manipulation of public consciousness.
Zhuravlov et al. (Fri,) studied this question.