Berlin: Can you believe it? Is it possible? We all long to converse with our departed loved ones—our mothers, fathers, or siblings—who have left us forever. At least once in our lives, we yearn for that connection. Yet, someone claims to have conversed with a deceased person using AI. It might sound like a fictional tale, but according to the assertion of a woman, it happened.
In a touching yet uncanny narrative, a woman hailing from Berlin, Germany, unveils her experience of using artificial intelligence (AI) to reconnect with her late mother, as detailed by Sky News. Sirine Malas, bereaved by the passing of her mother due to kidney failure in 2018 at the age of 82, found solace in this unconventional approach, especially given the circumstances of her mother never meeting her granddaughter, Ischtar, born shortly before her demise.
Read More: Elon Musk’s Vision Takes Flight: SpaceX Starship Achieves Historic Test Milestone
Separated from her mother since fleeing Syria to Germany in 2015, Sirine sought closure and a means to communicate with her cherished mother. Turning to an AI tool named Project December, Sirine embarked on a journey to simulate conversations with her deceased loved one.
Read More: Tim Berners-Lee Envisions the Future of the Web: Potential Breakup of Big Tech Looms
Project December operates by users providing details about the deceased, including age, relationship, and a quote. The AI chatbot then crafts a profile from this data, enabling users to engage in simulated conversations at $10 per hour. Jason Rohrer, the app’s founder, disclosed that over 3,000 users have utilized the platform to connect with departed loved ones. “Most people who use Project December for this purpose have their final conversation with this dead loved one in a simulated way and then move on”, Rohrer stated.
For Sirine, the experience with the AI chatbot proved both eerie and remarkably authentic. She recounted instances where the chatbot addressed her by her nickname and conveyed messages that resonated deeply. Despite the surreal nature of these interactions, Sirine, a self-proclaimed spiritual individual, perceived the chatbot as a conduit to commune with her mother. “There were moments that I felt were very real. There were also moments where I thought anyone could have answered that this way,” she elaborated.
Read More: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Foresees AI Empowering Coders as “30X Programmers”
While Sirine found the app beneficial in her grieving process, she urged caution against excessive reliance on it, citing potential risks of attachment and disillusionment. “It’s very useful and it’s very revolutionary. I was very careful not to get too caught up with it,” she emphasized. “I can see people easily getting addicted to using it, getting disillusioned by it, wanting to believe it to the point where it can go bad,” she added.
Despite varying perspectives on the app’s effectiveness and potential pitfalls, Rohrer asserts that few users develop an unhealthy dependence on the platform. Nonetheless, Sirine’s encounter with AI offers insight into the intricate interplay between technology and human emotions, underscoring both its promise and perils in navigating grief and loss.
