An AI expert has predicted that ‘virtual children’ will become the norm in the next 50 years – you’ll be able to raise them in the metaverse without having to change a single nappie
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'Virtual children' to replace real kids by 2050 and 'help with overpopulation' (www.dailystar.co.uk)

I don’t think it will be the norm, but I do know that people (adults and kids) are already pretending to raise bot NPC children (or other people acting as children) in online game spaces such as Second Life, IMVU, Roblox and I’m sure many more.