In one example, the present disclosure improves simulations based on the use of digital twins using social automatons. In one example, a method performed by a processing system including at least one processor includes constructing a digital twin of a physical environment, constructing a social automaton, wherein the social automaton comprises a virtual representation of an individual that is programmed to exhibit behaviors and characteristics of the individual, and inserting the social automaton into the digital twin to create an extended reality media in which interactions of the social automaton with the digital twin simulate interactions of the individual with the physical environment.