Columbia Business School · 18 Sep, 13:18 · Business briefing

Digital twins stumble on surveys but may pay off in the field: Here’s why

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The briefing

The story
in brief.

What happened, who it affects, and why it landed on our intelligence desk — in plain English, sixty seconds or less.

Columbia Business School research indicates that while digital twin technology often underperforms in controlled survey environments, it demonstrates significant potential for tangible value in practical field applications. This discrepancy suggests that theoretical assessments may not fully capture the operational benefits of these virtual replicas. Professionals should note that real-world implementation yields different results than academic or hypothetical evaluations, highlighting a gap between perceived utility and actual on-the-ground performance for organisations adopting this emerging technology.

Employer demand for Digital Twins skills — indexed growth since 2019
Indicative index of skill mentions in professional job postings for the field this story moves (2019 = 1)

Your move

What this means
for your career.

Every headline redistributes opportunity. Here is who this one rewards — and how to be on the right side of it.

You must look beyond theoretical hype to understand where digital twins actually create value. As field applications prove more reliable than survey data, roles bridging technical implementation and practical operations will rise in prominence. You should prioritise skills in data interpretation and operational integration over abstract strategic planning. If you work in engineering or manufacturing, focus on how to deploy these tools effectively on-site. Smart professionals will seek hands-on experience with industrial data systems rather than just studying the concept. You need to demonstrate how virtual models solve specific, real-world physical problems. This shift rewards practitioners who can translate complex data into actionable field insights, making technical fluency and practical problem-solving your most valuable career assets.

For this story, the fields that convert it into pay are Digital Twins, Data Science, Engineering and AI Strategy — exactly the programmes matched below. The chart shows the indicative salary uplift certified professionals report in each of those fields; every one of them is a click away, from £79, finishing in as few as 20 days.

Indicative salary uplift in the fields matched to this story
Indicative ranges from published continuing-education salary studies, by field — each field is a recommended course below

Matched to this story

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