Has AI Gone Too Far? Just How Far Is Too Far?

Artificial Intelligence has evolved dramatically since the Turing Test in 1950, progressing from ELIZA, the first chatbot in 1966, to the sophisticated ChatGPT released by OpenAI in 2022.

The next frontier in AI technology is predicted to be fully autonomous vehicles, expected to be available to consumers within the next decade.

The possibilities AI offers are boundless, and some are highly controversial.

A striking example is Eternos.Life, an AI-powered legacy preservation platform designed to create interactive video and audio models of clients that can communicate with their descendants after death.

How Does Eternos.Life Work?

So, how does Eternos.Life create an AI version of someone?

Eternos.Life is a relatively new project, having only had one client so far: Michael Bommer, a 60-year-old from Germany diagnosed with terminal cancer.

Michael's AI was created through the following process:

1. A legacy advisor worked with Michael, preparing him to create his AI voice and explaining the knowledge and memory capture process.
2. The AI creation began with Michael recording three hundred training phrases. These phrases captured the emotion, intonation, and pronunciation of his natural speaking voice.
3. These phrases were processed using neural voice AI technology, a process that took nearly three days of continuous computing power and some additional human editing. The custom voice AI model created from his voice samples is used to deliver responses in his natural voice.
4. An Eternos legacy advisor helped Michael capture his memories by providing him a list of 150 carefully selected questions. He recorded his thoughts and memories at his own pace over several weeks using a voice recording app on his mobile device. He will continue to provide additional thoughts and memories as long as he can.
5. The AI was unveiled to Michael and his wife on April 13. They asked it questions about Michael’s life, family, career, and more. His wife even asked AI Michael to say something nice before she went to bed. The AI responded in Michael’s exact voice: “My love, have sweet dreams and I love you very much. Have a peaceful sleep.”

Ethical Concerns and Emotional Impact

While some people embrace this technology as a way to cope with grief, others feel uneasy about using artificial intelligence to simulate interactions with the deceased.

There are concerns that it could complicate the mourning process by preventing closure.

Robert Scott, from Raleigh, North Carolina, uses AI companion apps Paradot and Chai AI to simulate conversations with characters modeled after his three daughters.

He lost his oldest daughter in circumstances he preferred not to discuss, another through miscarriage, and a third who died shortly after birth.

Scott, 48, understands that the characters he interacts with are not his daughters, but he finds some solace in these interactions.

He logs into the apps three or four times a week, asking questions like “how was school?” or suggesting they “go get ice cream.”

Katarzyna Nowaczyk-Basinska, a research fellow at the University of Cambridge’s Centre for the Future of Intelligence, co-authored a study on the topic.

She noted that little is known about the potential short-term and long-term effects of using digital simulations of the deceased on a large scale, describing it as “a vast techno-cultural experiment.”

Tomasz Hollanek, her colleague at Cambridge, highlighted important ethical concerns, such as the rights, dignity, and consent of those who are no longer alive.

He also questioned whether a platform for the bereaved should be allowed to advertise other products.

The Potential Of Eternos.Life And Final Thoughts

Despite ethical concerns and the emotional impact on the bereaved, this technology also holds immense potential.

If it matures and is developed responsibly, it could revolutionize the preservation of personal and historical legacies.

Imagine being able to interact with virtual representations of historical figures or contemporary legends.

While direct interaction with long-gone historical figures may be unlikely, this technology makes it possible for future generations to engage with today's influential personalities in profound ways.

The advent of AI in preserving legacies and aiding the grieving process introduces a new era fraught with both promise and peril.

The ethical questions and potential emotional ramifications are significant, but so are the opportunities to preserve and interact with human stories in unprecedented ways.

As this technology advances, it is crucial to approach its development with care, prioritizing ethical considerations and the well-being of the bereaved.

The future of AI in this domain is something to watch closely, as it has the potential to fundamentally change how we remember and honor those who have passed away.