Ctrl+C, Ctrl+Me
Your Skills Are Being Cloned
Remember ABBA? They’re back, performing nightly in London. Well, sort of. Their digital versions—“ABBAtars”—deliver pitch-perfect shows every evening. Same moves, same music, same magic. Just without the actual ABBA members having to leave their Swedish comfort zones.
It’s a brilliant setup: ABBA controls every note, owns every pixel, and profits from every performance. The ABBAtars won’t suddenly decide to cover Death Metal or start improvising dad jokes between songs. (Though I’d pay extra to see that.)
While ABBA’s digital doubles are wowing audiences in London, the tech industry has been cooking up its own version of talent replication. Instead of concert halls, they’re targeting the digital gig economy. Now, Fiverr wants to give creators their own digital duplicates. This week, they announced Fiverr Go, letting freelancers train AI on their work. Think of it as creating your own ABBAtar—but one that can improvise and create new content. What could possibly go wrong?
The Good, The Bad, and The Algorithm
On paper, it sounds amazing. Train an AI on your best work, and let it handle some clients while you sleep. Or while all your other AI versions handle other clients. Fiverr’s got the data to back up the potential: 150 million transactions worth of insights into how creatives work. BCG predicts the AI agent market will hit $52 billion by 2030. That’s a lot of digital busking.
But what exactly are these AI agents? At their core, they're autonomous software systems that combine large language models (like the ones powering ChatGPT) with real-world decision-making and action capabilities. Unlike traditional automation that follows rigid if-then rules, AI agents can process natural language, understand context, and—this is the crucial part—take independent actions in the real world. They can make purchases, schedule appointments, negotiate deals, and manage entire workflows without requiring human approval for each step. Think of them as digital employees who can actually get things done, not just suggest what to do.
These AI agents—or as I call them in my book “The Economy of Algorithms,” digital minions—are like personal assistants on steroids. They can understand your style, mimic your work patterns, and even negotiate with clients using your past interactions as a guide. Think of them as algorithmic doubles, ready to take the stage whenever you need a break. But unlike human understudies, they can perform in multiple theatres simultaneously.
But here’s where the ABBA parallel breaks down. When Dancing Queen plays at the ABBA Voyage show, it’s exactly what ABBA approved. Every. Single. Time.
Fiverr’s fine print tells a different story: “Due to the nature of AI, exclusive outputs are not guaranteed, and similar results may be generated for different users.” In other words, your AI might start singing someone else’s tune. Even worse, someone else’s AI might start belting out your greatest hits—and you won’t see a krona in royalties.
Welcome to Platform Capitalism 2.0
Remember how Uber revolutionised transport without owning any cars? How Airbnb transformed hospitality without owning any properties? Fiverr’s taking that concept to the next level: they won’t own your skills, but they’ll help you create AI versions that could eventually compete with... you.
It’s like giving someone permission to create a clone army of yourself, then hoping they’ll remember to send you the royalty checks.
And if you’re thinking, “At least Fiverr is asking permission,” let that thought marinate for a moment. LinkedIn recently found itself in hot water for quietly opting users into AI training without explicit consent. When the platform “updated” its privacy policy in September 2024 to include AI training permissions, users discovered they had to opt out twice to prevent their data from being used—and anything already used for training! Well, that ship had sailed. Now, they’re facing a lawsuit from Premium users over alleged misuse of private messages for AI training.
At least Fiverr is being upfront about their intentions. But being transparent about taking your creative DNA doesn’t make the long-term implications any less concerning.
DIY Digital Doubles
But here’s a plot twist worthy of an ABBA musical: What if Fiverr’s biggest contribution isn’t their AI platform but showing creators what’s possible?
What if Fiverr’s biggest contribution isn’t their AI platform but showing creators what’s possible?
Think about it. If you can train an AI on your work through Fiverr, you could theoretically do it independently, too. It’s like ABBA deciding to create their own digital show instead of letting a platform own their digital doubles. (Which, by the way, is exactly what they did.)
This fits perfectly into what I call the B2A2C (Business to Algorithm to Customer) model in “The Economy of Algorithms.” We’re seeing two parallel universes emerging: one where platforms like Fiverr own the AI middleman and another where creators control their own digital minions. It’s the difference between renting out your skills to a platform’s AI and having your own AI backup band that plays exactly what you want, where you want, at the price you set.
Sure, right now, this DIY approach might require more technical skills than hitting “accept” on Fiverr’s terms and conditions. But remember when building a website required knowing how to code? Now, anyone with a smartphone can launch a professional-looking site in minutes.
Choose Your Own Touring Company
So, where does this leave creators? With choices—more than you might think.
You could join Fiverr’s show, letting them handle the venue, ticket sales, and digital infrastructure. They’re offering some sweet opening night perks, including an equity program that lets top performers own a piece of the platform. It’s like being offered stock in the concert hall where your ABBAtar performs.
Or you could produce your own show. Build your AI backup band, control every performance, and keep all the royalties. Sure, you’ll need to handle your own booking and tech setup, but you’ll never have to worry about your digital double showing up in venues you didn’t approve.
Either way, this isn’t just about scaling your business—it’s about deciding who gets to be your agent in the algorithmic age.
The Next Set List
Whether we like it or not, AI agents are about to become as common as auto-tune in pop music. BCG’s prediction of a $52 billion market by 2030 isn’t just about platforms like Fiverr—it’s about the entire ecosystem of AI agents, including those independently owned and operated.
For creators, the question isn’t whether to embrace AI agents but how to maintain creative control while scaling your impact. It’s the difference between being ABBA (owning your digital future) and being just another cover band (letting platforms call the tune).
The Final Encore
Back in London, the ABBAtars are still performing perfectly every night. But here’s the thing about perfection—it can get a bit boring. The real excitement lies in what comes next: digital minions that don’t just replicate but create. That improvise, surprise, and maybe even innovate—while staying on your payroll, not someone else’s.
The stage is set. The technology is here. The tools for replication and automation are becoming available to everyone. The only question is: who’s going to own your greatest hits?
Oh wait, did you think when I wrote ‘creatives,’ I meant artists? What exactly is your job again?
* For the record, you won’t find ABBA on my Spotify Wrapped. Maybe one day Axl Rose will ask for “Sweet Code O’ Mine”. Then, I’ll rewrite this text.