[ExI] Speaking with deceased companions

[Kelly Anderson]

The biggest problem I can see is that I speak differently to my spouse
than to anyone else. If it used my emails to you folks, it would go
right over her head. And that's not something I would ever tell her,
of course. It's not that I lie to her, or anything like that, it's
that I just talk DIFFERENTLY to her.

Do you think AI could really parse that apart at this point? I mean I
rarely email her, so how could it?

-Kelly

On Wed, Jul 2, 2025 at 12:36 PM BillK via extropy-chat
<extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org> wrote:
>
> 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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