[ExI] Speaking with deceased companions

[BillK]

On Wed, 2 Jul 2025 at 17:23, spike jones via extropy-chat <
extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org> wrote:
> This is intriguing in itself: are they now claiming that deep fake AI can
have real-time discussions with people and mimic a particular voice?  If
so, my vision is complete: we can now have a robo-companion for the
elderly, in which the patient can have discussions with a machine which
uses the image and voice of a deceased companion.
>
> spike
> _______________________________________________


This has been available since at least last year.
Only a short voice recording is required to enable any voice to be
replicated.
Building an avatar companion is more complicated. You need to input a lot
of their emails, chats, videos, discussions, papers, etc. to build a
lifelike history of their personality.
Some people have done this already. A search will find many examples.
(Of course, this can also be used to deep-fake living people as well).

I asked Perplexity for a report.
I have included the references, so you can read more.
BillK

Perplexity -

Yes, people can now chat with digital representations of deceased friends
or relatives that speak in their own voice, thanks to advances in AI
technology such as voice cloning, natural language processing, and image
synthesis. Several AI-powered services and apps have emerged that create
interactive virtual avatars or chatbots of deceased individuals based on
recordings, videos, text messages, and other personal data.

Key points about this technology:

Voice Cloning and Digital Avatars: Companies like DEEPBRAIN AI use photos,
videos, and audio clips to replicate the faces, voices, and facial
expressions of people who have passed away, enabling virtual meetings where
loved ones can have conversations with these AI-generated personas.

HereAfter AI: This app creates "Life Story Avatars" that speak in the
recorded voice of the deceased, sharing stories, advice, and memories.
Users interact with these avatars via smart speakers or apps, and the AI
responds with prerecorded or AI-generated content based on the deceased's
life.

Chatbots for Grief Support: Some chatbots, like the one created by Eugenia
Kuyda for her deceased friend, use text message histories to simulate
conversations, helping users process grief by interacting with a digital
version of their loved one.

Limitations and Ethical Considerations: Experts caution that these digital
clones do not truly recreate the person but serve as digital monuments to
memories. There are concerns about psychological impacts, the dignity of
the deceased, and commercial exploitation. Researchers recommend safeguards
such as transparency that users are interacting with AI and ethical design
processes.

Current Use Cases: People report finding comfort and closure by "talking"
to these AI versions, hearing familiar voices, and learning stories they
might not have known. However, the technology is still evolving and can
sometimes produce responses that feel unnatural or confusing.

In summary, AI technology today enables people to have conversations with
digital versions of deceased loved ones that speak in their own voice,
providing a new form of connection and remembrance, though it remains a
simulation rather than true resurrection.

https://www.technologyreview.com/2022/10/18/1061320/digital-clones-of-dead-people/
https://designtaxi.com/news/421682/AI-Generator-Brings-Deceased-Loved-Ones-Back-For-One-Last-Conversation/
https://www.service95.com/ai-grief-chatbot
https://www.tbsnews.net/tech/hereafter-ai-powered-app-lets-people-speak-their-dead-relatives-518438
https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/call-for-safeguards-to-prevent-unwanted-hauntings-by-ai-chatbots-of-dead-loved-ones
https://www.cnet.com/culture/hereafter-ai-lets-you-talk-with-your-dead-loved-ones-through-a-chatbot/
https://med.umn.edu/news/top-story-new-medium-communicating-dead-ai-and-chatbots
https://futureparty.com/ai-chatbots-storyfile-talk-dead-relatives/
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