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.
01:16The 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?
02:12Or do they only reflect what we want to believe about the past?
02:16Now, 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.
02:29This can change the way we remember our loved ones,
02:33sometimes making it harder to accept.
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?
02:54Well, 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.
03:07So, stay curious and keep exploring the future of memory and technology.
03:11.
03:21.
03:21.
Comments