Think of a deceased loved one. If you could hear their voice one more time, or if you could ask them for advice, would you do it?
James Vlahos wanted to do just that. After his father died, Vlahos programmed a chatbot with recordings of his father's voice and text of conversations to create a DadBot using artificial intelligence. He later founded a company called HereAfter AI, a web application that lets users create interactive chatbot that can talk like real people. Users put in social media profiles, emails, memories or recordings. The more information, the better the simulation.
Of course, a lot depends on the quality and quantity of the audio recordings to create voice conversations. For those who passed before the digital era, re-creating a voice might be impossible. But younger people today might want to make and save recordings of loved ones. AI algorithms can learn and mimic the unique speech patterns, intonations, and mannerisms of the individual.
There are ethical questions surrounding the technology. Critics caution against replacing authentic human connections with AI replicas. And there is always the question of whether a human wishes to be re-created by AI. This might even become something to be noted in a will.
Other uses of AI voice capabilities may help people speak who can no longer do so. Project Revoice is a non-profit initiative that uses AI to emulate the voices of people with degenerative diseases, such as ALS. By preserving their voices, it enables patients to continue expressing themselves even as their condition deteriorates.
