Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Man In China Uses AI To Create Virtual Version Of Grandmother Who Died Of Covid

Man In China Uses AI To Create Virtual Version Of Grandmother Who Died Of Covid

Mr Wu said he shared a deep bond with his grandmother, as she was the one who raised him after his parents divorced.
Ever since the emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI), users all over the world have been figuring out what experiments they can do with it. Now, tech-savvy people have gone one step ahead and have started using AI tools to create realistic avatars of people who have died. Recently, a 24-year-old man in China surnamed Wu, used AI to create a real-like digital avatar of his late grandmother, reported South China Morning Post.

Mr Wu, who is visual arts designer, posted a video of a virtual conversation with his grandmother, which has sparked a heated discussion in the country.

''Grandma, my dad and I will go back to our hometown to celebrate the Lunar New Year with you this year,'' Mr Wu said in the recording. ''My dad called you last time. What did you say to him?''

''I told him not to drink wine. Be thrifty and not play cards,'' the AI grandmother replied.

Mr Wu said he shared a deep bond with his grandmother, as she was the one who raised him after his parents divorced. However, she died from coronavirus in January, aged 84.

Saddened by her death, he used AI to create a virtual avatar of her in order to communicate with her. He first used image software and old photos to create a dynamic image of her and then trained the AI to mimic her voice tone using recordings of his phone conversations.

''I shared many details of my grandma's life to ChatGPT, hoping it could understand my grandma's family background and speech so it could communicate with me in my grandma's tone,'' Mr Wu said. At present, the virtual version can only have simple conversations, but she can blink, nod and even heartily laugh.

Mr Wu said that he created the project just for ''psychological comfort,'' and added that he ''feels good being able to look at grandma and talk more with her.''

His story has now generated considerable attention, with many people sympathising with him, while others were not on-board with the unusual concept.

One person said, ''It is a way to relieve one's sorrow. What this blogger did is meaningful. The company of an AI is still a form of companionship, after all.'' Another commented, ''It is not the real her. Isn't he afraid when talking with her? I think he should just let his grandma rest in peace and miss her in his heart.''

Notably, many funeral companies in China are also employing this technology to allow people to relive moments with their loved ones who have passed away, according to Guangzhou Daily via the Straits Times.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Intel Reports Revenue Beats but Sees 81% Rise in Losses
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
Tulsi Gabbard Unveils Evidence Alleging Political Manipulation of Intelligence During Trump Administration
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Trump Announces Coca-Cola to Shift to Cane Sugar in U.S. Production
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
Moonshot AI Unveils Kimi K2: A New Open-Source AI Model
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
×