In the quiet solitude of a late evening, a mother sits at her computer, typing messages to her dead daughter. But here's a twist: The dead daughter is texting back too. It's not magic. The mother is using an AI-powered chatbot that has scanned through the daughter's archives of texts, comments and audio clips, and has learnt to respond just like her - down to the speech patterns and catchphrases. Is she real? No. But she's a dead ringer, just similar enough to help Mum grieve.
It didn't take us long to get comfortable with AI. Just last year, we were excited to ask machines to re-imagine Game of Thrones characters in Indian avatars. This year, we're using the Kling AI app to insert our current selves into our childhood photos and hug our younger selves. For those mourning the loss of a loved one, AI has been so busy, there's already a word for the business: Grief Tech. And as with all AI, some folks have jumped right in, while the rest are still figuring out if it's a good idea.
RiP.gif
For as long as people have been dying, the living have sought ways to maintain a connection with the ones they've lost. We etched them on rock art. We painted flattering portraits. We tried seances. We kept their social media accounts active. AI, then, is merely another tool to process grief. It generates digital avatars, chatbots known as "thanobots," even virtual-reality experiences, so we can interact with loved ones again.
この記事は Brunch の September 28, 2024 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は Brunch の September 28, 2024 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
Let's tri all the angles
BFFs falling for the same girl, kidnap twists, murders, bromances. These 10 three-way love stories play with geometry and our feelings
Should you Q up for this?
Audi's luxury SUV, the Q8, has had a refresh. But a sleeker grille and headlight tech don't make up for what's still missing
How to plan a great escape
It's getting colder. It's already hard to breathe. Why not plan a winter vacation that's a world away but not too far away?
Kababs, yes, but khandvi too
Mughlai cuisine has as many vegetarian dishes as meaty ones. A new translation of a 16th century manuscript shows how we ate, and why modern labels are pointless
I can be your hero
Gurfateh Pirzada, only afewroles old, is the green flag we didn't know we needed. He's learning from women. He wants to be more thana lover and a fighter. He's hoping we all do better. No wonder everyone's crushing on him
Meet the export experts
Khadi crop-tops in Spain, faux-leather hoodies in London, fairytale wedding gowns in the UAE. See how some desi labels are killing it on foreign shores
Why we're all feeling Blue
Coco Mellors's new novel is about grief, sisterhood, and of course, addiction and unlikeable women. How does she make it work?
This week, we're...
Changing the momo game, listening to kids, starting a new business, and supporting pro waxxers
Rohit Chawla
Photographer, artist, @RohitChawlaPhotography_
Congratulations, it's a goal
Lakeside vows, pastel palettes, bayous, backyards and boats. These celeb weddings are what modern fairytales are made of