This report describes the implications of digital personhood in all its potential forms — the digital proof of the existence of and representation for a physical human, use of digital twins that provide a virtual model of a physical object (in this case, a human), and virtual (or synthetic) persons. The report also describes the emerging technologies that make up these various forms of personhood and the risks that this technology could present.

Emerging Technology and Risk Analysis

Digital Personhood

Daniel M. Gerstein

ResearchPublished Apr 8, 2025

This report is one in a series of analyses on the effects of emerging technologies on U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) missions and capabilities. As part of this work, the research team was charged with developing a technology and risk assessment methodology for evaluating emerging technologies and understanding their implications within a homeland security context. The methodology and analyses provide a basis for DHS to better understand the emerging technologies and the risks presented.

This report describes the implications of digital personhood in all its potential forms — from the digital proof of the existence of and representation for a physical human, to the use of digital twins that provide a virtual model of a physical object (in this case, a human), to a virtual (or synthetic) person. The report also describes the emerging technologies that the research team examined that make up these various forms of personhood and the risks that this technology could present for DHS missions.

Key Findings

  • The concept of personhood has been debated for centuries by Western philosophers, yet the definition remains open. In the United States, the term has been used inconsistently in the legal field.
  • The maturing over the next decade of identity, credential, and access management (ICAM) and of artificial intelligence — along with support of Fourth Industrial Revolution (FIR) capabilities (e.g., cyber, big data, and the Internet of Things) and tools — provides opportunities and challenges for the development of digital personages that could be created for licit or illicit purposes. The technologies will improve, but so will the countermeasures.
  • Progress toward achieving and conferring digital personhood in nonhuman entities enabled by FIR technologies will lead to challenging questions about managing the risks of creating what some refer to as digital persons.
  • Although FIR technologies are still developing, legal mechanisms to address them are already being put in place. Resources — funding, computing capabilities and facilities, or human factors — do not present significant barriers to entry for developing and proliferating digital personhood technology.
  • The field remains challenged in establishing digital personhood for humans while securing key data and algorithms that undergird these systems. A future digital personhood environment with digital twins and nonbiological intelligences will only exacerbate the already challenging issues associated with registering, issuing, using, and managing ICAM systems. Digital personhood control measures are likely to move slowly because balancing protections, risk, stakeholder prerogatives, and innovation will take time.

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Citation

RAND Style Manual

Gerstein, Daniel M., Emerging Technology and Risk Analysis: Digital Personhood, Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center operated by the RAND Corporation, RR-A2876-1, 2025. As of April 8, 2025: https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA2876-1.html

Chicago Manual of Style

Gerstein, Daniel M., Emerging Technology and Risk Analysis: Digital Personhood. Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center operated by the RAND Corporation, 2025. https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA2876-1.html.
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This research was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate and conducted by the Management, Technology, and Capabilities Program of the Homeland Security Research Division (HSRD).

This publication is part of the RAND research report series. Research reports present research findings and objective analysis that address the challenges facing the public and private sectors. All RAND research reports undergo rigorous peer review to ensure high standards for research quality and objectivity.

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