The loved ones of a deceased person will be able to hear their voice again through a chatbot. While some people may find this somewhat “creepy,” others consider it a kind of blessing. As with most of the things we face, we do not yet know what the effect may be, even on the mental health of some spouses. But, as we have always said, the point is not to oppose technological change, but to adapt its use and its possible consequences intelligently.

Through a chatbot, loved ones will be able to talk with someone close to them who has died. (Illustrative image, Infobae)

Talking with loved ones who have died could become a reality thanks to an artificial intelligence capable of “bringing them back to life” through a chatbot that simulates a virtual human and uses recordings of their voices.

Life's Echo and the prior interview with Sarah

The project, called Life’s Echo, makes it possible to create chatbots that replicate the audio of a deceased person. To achieve this, the person must have previously taken part in an interview with another artificial intelligence called Sarah.

During this interview, Sarah gathers detailed information about the person's life, such as childhood memories, the place where they grew up and important moments in their story.

With this information, Life’s Echo generates a chatbot that imitates the person's voice and responses, allowing their loved ones to interact with it after they have died. This advance seeks to offer a way of keeping alive the memory of those who are no longer here and to provide a space for emotional connection for their families.

How these chatbots of deceased people work:

Chatbots of deceased people work through artificial intelligence that recreates conversations based on the memories and personality of the deceased.

How the chatbot of a deceased person is built

The process begins with a prior interview conducted by an AI called Sarah, which gathers detailed information about the person's life, such as anecdotes from their childhood, places where they lived, significant events and personal details.

These answers, together with voice recordings, are processed to create a personalized model that imitates both the way the person speaks and the content of their answers.

For example, if a person named Marta decides to take part in the Life’s Echo project, she would be interviewed and would share memories such as her love of cooking with her grandmother, vacations at the beach and how she enjoyed reading mystery novels.

The audio answers must be recorded before the person dies; the AI does not recreate their voice from scratch.

How relatives would use it and how data is protected

After her death, her relatives could use the chatbot to interact with “Marta.” Asked something like “What was your favorite recipe?”, the chatbot would answer in her recreated voice, saying something like: “I loved making the butter cookies I used to bake with Grandma. I would give you the recipe if I could.”

As for security, the project's website states that “Life’s Echo AI uses encryption to protect all data. Only authorized users can access and share the memories.”

What other similar projects exist:

Artificial intelligence has enabled the development of various applications that make it easier for people to interact with digital representations of their deceased loved ones. There are tools such as:

  • HereAfter AI

This application creates a virtual version of the deceased person from digital files and interviews recorded during their lifetime. It lets users hold conversations in real time, hearing answers in the loved one's voice.

Thanks to the technology, AI can become an ally in getting through grief.

  • Re;memory

Developed by DeepBrain AI, this platform collects the deceased person's digital memories, such as videos and photographs. Through a detailed interview, a model is created that allows users to relive.

  • Eterni.me

Backed by MIT, this initiative analyzes data from social media and online activity to generate an intelligent avatar that imitates the deceased person's voice and personality. This avatar becomes an interactive digital legacy for family and friends.

  • You, Only Virtual

This company develops AI-based chatbots that let people converse with virtual versions of their deceased loved ones. It uses text messages, emails and shared phone calls to create responses that imitate the loved one's voice and behavior.

  • StoryFile

This platform offers the possibility of creating conversational videos with the help of artificial intelligence, allowing users to interact with digital representations of deceased people. It uses video interviews conducted during the person's life to generate answers to questions posed by users. These projects represent advances at the intersection of technology and grief, offering new ways of maintaining emotional connections with those who are no longer physically present.

Original source: Infobae