AI Deathbots: Can We REALLY Converse to the Dead?

Asianet News English

Is it possible to chat with loved ones who have passed away? Find out how AI-powered ‘deathbots’ are changing the way we remember and connect with the dead. We explore the technology behind digital afterlife avatars, its promises, and the ethical questions it raises. Watch.&nbsp;

Transcript

00:00Have you ever wondered if it's possible to talk to the dead?

00:03Well, thanks to advances in artificial intelligence,

00:06that idea is no longer just the stuff of movies.

00:09Today, we explore a new technology called Deathbots.

00:13Well, these are AI systems designed to simulate the voices,

00:17speech patterns, and personalities of those who have passed away.

00:22Deathbots, what they do is that they use digital traces

00:25left by a person that includes text messages,

00:28emails, social media posts, and voice recordings.

00:32The AI then analyzes this data and creates an interactive avatar.

00:37This virtual presence can respond as if the person were still alive.

00:42Now, this technology is part of a new industry often called the digital afterlife.

00:48It promises to make memories of loved ones interactive.

00:51Some systems let people record personal stories

00:54or advice for their families to use after they are gone.

00:57Others let you chat with a digital version of someone who has passed on.

01:02Now, researchers recently tested these Deathbots to see how convincing they really are.

01:07They even made digital doubles of themselves

01:09by uploading their own videos, messages, and voice notes.

01:13Then, they talked to these AI replicas to explore the experience.

01:17The findings were fascinating and a little unsettling.

01:20Some Deathbots acted more like archives.

01:23They stored memories organized by themes such as childhood or family stories

01:28and helped users browse this content.

01:31Others used generative AI, which means the chatbot could hold ongoing conversations

01:36using the deceased person's style and voice.

01:39Now, while these conversations can feel surprisingly real,

01:43the researchers found that there is still an artificial quality about them.

01:46The bots often repeated phrases in a stiff or scripted way.

01:50The more personal the conversation tried to be,

01:53the more it felt like talking to a programmed machine,

01:56not a living person's spirit.

01:58Now, this technology taps into a long human tradition

02:01of trying to connect with the dead.

02:02But AI makes it far more convincing and commercial.

02:06It also raises very important questions.

02:08Can machines really replace human memories and emotions?

02:11Or do they only reflect what we want to believe about the past?

02:15Now, some people find comfort in talking to these Deathbots.

02:19They say that it helps with grief and remembrance,

02:22but others feel uneasy.

02:24They worry that the technology could distort memory

02:27or exploit people's emotions for profit.

02:30This can change the way we remember our loved ones,

02:33sometimes making it harder to accept loss.

02:36At its heart, Deathbots offer a type of resurrection,

02:40not in body but in data.

02:42They bring back voices and personalities simulated in real time.

02:47It's a new way to stay connected even after someone is gone.

02:51So, can you really talk to the dead using AI?

02:53Well, the answer is that these tools create the illusion of presence.

02:57For now, Deathbots are less about actually bringing the dead back

03:02and more about exploring how we remember them in a digital age.

03:06So, stay curious and keep exploring the future of memory and technology.

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