A startup from Los Angeles named 2Wai has launched a mobile application that allows users to create interactive digital representations of deceased family members. This is reported by Interesting Engineering.
A promotional video published by co-founder Calum Warty quickly gained traction on social media platform X, accumulating over 28 million views.
The video depicts a pregnant woman communicating via her phone with a replica of her deceased mother. The storyline progresses to show the avatar reading a bedtime story to an infant, and later, a school-aged child conversing with the digital 'grandma' on the way home. The video concludes with a scene where the adult son tells the avatar she will become a great-grandmother.
To create an AI avatar, one must scan a person using a smartphone camera. Once set up, users can converse with the twin: HoloAvatar mimics human interaction through voice, facial expressions, and gestures.
The app is available on the App Store under the name HoloAvatar. According to the company, the created images 'look and talk like you' and can evoke memories. Warty stated that the platform is forming a 'living archive of humanity' and encouraged users to try the beta version. An Android version is expected to be released soon.
The emergence of this service has sparked active discussions. Some social media commenters labeled the technology as 'creepy' and 'unacceptable,' branding the developer as a 'psychopath.' Others argue that the program may distort the grieving process.
Critics emphasize the risks of substituting genuine grief with artificial comfort and raise ethical questions regarding the use of such technology. Meanwhile, some users have positively received the ability to preserve the voices and stories of loved ones.
The discussion surrounding the app also touches on broader issues of artificial intelligence development. Experts warn that advancements in robotics may lead to the creation of physical versions of such avatars, raising questions about identity, consent, and the commercialization of human grief.
Currently, the app continues to spread among users, and the debate over its impact on memory and the grieving process remains open and actively ongoing.
