Beyond Imagination: Experiential AI with Digital Twins & Digital Humans at DDAC 2025
In this blog
From Booth to Stage: WWT's DDAC Journey
At DDAC 2025, World Wide Technology made a bold statement—not just with a booth packed with hands-on demos, but with a vision for how AI can transform enterprise experiences. Kyle Lindsey,Director of Innovation at WWT, led the charge with a 30-minute session titled "Experiential AI: Turning Data into Stories You Can See, Hear and Explore." Kyle's talk explored how Digital Twins, Digital Humans, and two additional elements—OpenUSD (the "fabric") and World Models—are converging to create immersive, human-centric data experiences. He posed a thought-provoking question: "Are we getting closer to the Metaverse?"
The four building blocks
Kyle's session defined Experiential AI as a convergence of four key elements:
- Digital Twin: The map—anchoring data in real-world spatial context.
- Digital Human: The guide—providing natural, conversational interaction.
- OpenUSD: The connective fabric—enabling interoperability and seamless communication across 3D experiences.
- World Models: The logic layer—AI that understands, predicts and adapts to complex environments.
Together, these building blocks are accelerating our journey toward the Metaverse.
Booth experience: Digital Twins, Digital Humans and real-world impact
Imagine walking into a conference and being greeted not just by digital humans who can chat with you, guide you and even remember your last conversation—but also by digital twins that let you step inside virtual worlds and explore real places in entirely new ways. At DDAC, WWT's booth was buzzing with excitement as attendees explored:
Ellie & Kendra, the Digital Humans: At the booth, attendees met Ellie—built with NVIDIA® Riva—and Kendra, created using Unreal Metahuman and ElevenLabs. These weren't just screens; they were lifelike, interactive guides, fully supported on-premises for instant engagement. Whether visitors wanted to explore, share ideas or chat, Ellie and Kendra made each interaction feel personal and authentic. Behind the scenes, NetApp storage powered the digital twin experiences, ensuring seamless data access and bringing the demos to life.
Immersive Digital Twins: In partnership with Another Reality Studio, WWT invited DDAC attendees to step inside digital twins of Energizer Park, Intelliflex's Octopod modular data center, and WWT's Global HQ and AI Proving Ground. Using interactive AR and 3D experiences on iPads, visitors toured a vibrant soccer stadium, navigated a cutting-edge data center, and explored WWT's innovation ecosystem. These hands-on demos turned complex tech into memorable journeys, making enterprise data and infrastructure feel accessible, interactive and truly exciting.
Where data becomes an experience: AI you can see, hear, and explore
Kyle Lindsey took the stage with a simple but powerful message: AI isn't just something you use—it's something you experience.
He shared how digital twins and digital humans are changing the way we interact with technology. Instead of staring at dashboards or reading reports, visualize talking to an AI that can walk you through a virtual world, answer your questions, and help you make decisions—just like a trusted guide.
Kyle's vision? Bring together the best of both worlds:
- Digital twins as the map—showing you the big picture.
- Digital humans as the guide—helping you navigate, understand and act.
When these two come together, data isn't just numbers on a screen—it's a story you can step into.
Why it matters: Real impact, real people
WWT's approach is rooted in creating technology that delivers real value and impact. It's about making AI practical, approachable and genuinely helpful. Whether it's helping operators manage complex networks, guiding visitors through a stadium or supporting teams in hospitals and retail, experiential AI is all about turning data into decisions—and making those decisions easier, faster and more human.
Key takeaways:
- AI you can talk to, walk through and learn from.
- Partnerships that make innovation possible.
- A vision for the future where technology feels less like a tool and more like a teammate.
- Experiential AI as the bridge to the Metaverse.
Looking ahead
WWT's DDAC journey is just the beginning. With thought leadership from Kyle Lindsey and a team dedicated to pushing boundaries, WWT is turning big ideas into real-world solutions—one immersive experience at a time. Stay tuned for more stories from the front lines of innovation. At WWT, the future isn't just imagined—it's experienced.