In Seoul, South Korea, Lee Geon Hui sought a special way to honor his father, a single parent who made sacrifices for him. He chose an AI-animated video message from his late grandfather, a figure his father deeply missed. Utilizing technology from the Seoul-based firm Vaice, Lee created a video where a digital version of his grandfather addressed his father, expressed apologies for hardships during his upbringing, and acknowledged his opposition to his son’s career choice as a hairstylist.
Although hesitant, Lee’s father eventually watched the video, which brought him to tears. Lee wrote the script with the intent of conveying personal messages to his father. This use of AI to recreate deceased loved ones is gaining traction in South Korea, with several startups providing such services. TV shows have also featured AI representations of deceased celebrities, creating a growing industry that stirs both hope and concern among the public.
A number of startups are offering videos featuring AI-produced recreations of loved ones.
Some see potential comfort in these digital likenesses, but others caution about ethical dilemmas. Yong Man Ro, an AI expert at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, noted the cultural implications and emotional impacts as AI technologies integrate into daily life.
Vaice’s CEO, Jeongu Won, revealed that his company serves about 300 clients monthly. They typically want videos of late parents or grandparents. Creating a three-to-five-minute clip requires several photos and short voice recordings, costing about 600,000 won ($390). Customers often play these videos during family gatherings, including memorials and holidays.
Many clients write scripts expressing love, reconciliation, or goodwill towards the deceased. Lee, for example, wanted to honor his father by using the opportunity to heal old wounds and share feelings that were otherwise left unspoken. His grandfather had died before Lee was born, and he often felt his father regretted not showing his accomplishments to him.
AI Grief Technology: Comfort and Concerns
JL Standard, another company in the field, faced skepticism about their services. Initially, some potential customers, wary of their grief being intensified, resisted AI-generated memorials. Still, the inclusion of AI-generated deceased personalities on television gradually increased public acceptance.
Customers like Vaice typically find solace in recreating a likeness of deceased loved ones. There are, however, significant ethical questions that come with this technology. Choung Wan, a professor at Seoul’s Kyung Hee University Law School, urges legal protections for the deceased’s dignities and rights. He proposes bans on AI recreations if the deceased objected during their life and restrictions on commercial uses of their images and voices.
Looking ahead, experts foresee complexities arising with ‘griefbots’ or ‘deathbots’ that simulate conversations with the deceased. While some speculate these developments might offer comfort, critics like Choung warn they could disrupt healthy mourning by preventing acceptance of the loved one’s death.
Won, cautious about AI chatbots, acknowledges potential ethical pitfalls from unsupervised real-time interactions. Yet, the rapid technological and societal adoption continues to drive the industry forward.
Advancements already allow for detailed replication of facial features, enhancing the resemblances for clients. Technical challenges remain, particularly with interactive bots, but efforts continue to enable longer coherent conversations.
Ro, who has personal experience with AI recreations, created a short AI video of his late parents. Sharing it with his siblings proved to be a poignant moment, yet Ro admits they chose not to revisit it. For him, honoring their memory once sufficed as the family moved beyond grief.