The future of AI and social interactions: Building digital souls with Wondra AI

What if AI could remember your preferences, your personality, and even connect you to people who think like you? That’s the bold vision Robert Cartwright is chasing with Wondra AI — a startup working at the intersection of artificial intelligence and human connection.

In this episode of Web3 with Sam Kamani, I sit down with Robert to explore what it takes to build a digital twin — or as he puts it, a “digital soul.” From the first spark of an idea to the technical obstacles of scaling a memory-based AI system, this conversation goes deep into the nuances of designing AI that feels personal, social, and human.

From problem to prototype: Where Wondra AI began

Robert’s journey into AI didn’t start with a grand ambition — it began with frustration. He noticed how fragmented and impersonal our digital interactions had become. Algorithms pushed content, but none of them truly understood us.

That was the problem Wondra AI set out to solve.

Instead of building another chatbot, Robert envisioned an AI that remembers you. Your preferences, your voice, your quirks — and uses that to connect you with people who might share similar interests or values. The result? A product called Wonky, a conversational interface powered by AI memory and personalization.

Wonky doesn’t just respond — it listens, learns, and evolves with the user.

Digital souls, data, and design challenges

At the heart of Wondra AI is the idea of digital souls — persistent, evolving digital entities that reflect aspects of our personalities. But the vision is only as good as the infrastructure behind it.

And as Robert explains, building this is far from simple.

• First, there’s data management. To remember users effectively, the system needs to store vast amounts of interaction data — securely, efficiently, and in a way that respects privacy.
• Then, there’s the technical lift. Memory-based AI models demand significant compute power. As Wondra scales, GPU access and cost management become critical bottlenecks.
• And finally, there’s the human layer: how do you create trust in an AI companion that knows so much about you?

Robert’s team is actively exploring decentralized computing and edge-based AI models to make the system scalable — and more importantly, equitable for users around the world.

Building trust and incentives into AI systems

Beyond tech, Wondra AI is experimenting with new monetization models — ones that incentivize users to contribute data and insights while giving them control.

The goal isn’t just to create personalized AI — it’s to create mutually beneficial AI, where users feel like stakeholders rather than just data points.

As the beta launch for Android and iOS approaches, Wondra AI is opening up the platform to early adopters and testers. This next phase will provide valuable feedback — and potentially shape how digital twin technologies evolve in the broader Web3 and AI ecosystem.

Why this matters

What Robert is building isn’t just an app — it’s a paradigm shift in how we interact with technology. If successful, Wondra AI won’t just personalize user interfaces. It will redefine what it means to be known, heard, and connected online.

Instead of reducing us to clicks and impressions, AI could begin to understand us in fuller, richer dimensions.

And that’s not just good UX. That’s human.

Listen to the episode
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