AI's digital resurrection: Bringing past voices to life
New technologies enable us to achieve things that would have seemed like science fiction just a few years ago. Today, we can "bring to life" deceased individuals by recreating their images or replicating their voices thanks to artificial intelligence.
Artificial intelligence has entered the mainstream with great energy; AI is transforming our perception of the world from popular tools like ChatGPT to image and video generators and entire suites of digital tools like Nvidia ACE (Avatar Cloud Engine). The nature of work is also changing as more industries turn to artificial intelligence.
AI-related controversies abound. For instance, in 2023, a significant scandal erupted in Germany after Anne Hoffmann, editor-in-chief of Die Aktuelle, published an "interview" with Michael Schumacher. The AI-generated statements led to the journalist's immediate dismissal. Although Michael Schumacher is alive, he has not given interviews or interacted with fans for over ten years due to a brain injury.
Artificial intelligence "resurrects" the dead
Will we reach a point where we can converse with a deceased person at their funeral? It's already possible. Funeral technology has provided this capability for several years now. One intriguing tool is an artificial intelligence system called StoryFile, which allowed Marina Smith to "speak" at her own funeral via video.
How was this accomplished? Before her passing, she recorded hours of personal stories, using 20 cameras to capture the footage. The StoryFile algorithm then created a posthumous digital version of Marina Smith. The technology used in this process wasn't the most advanced; StoryFile's AI simply understood mourners' questions and matched them with responses from the recordings she left. This method does not involve deepfakes.
Do you play "Cyberpunk 2077"? You might not know one thing
Another example of AI's "resurrection" ability is the narrative expansion for the game Cyberpunk 2077, Phantom Liberty. The creators at CD Projekt Red decided to use AI to develop new dialogue for the character Viktor Vector.
AI recreates historical figures and extinct animals
Internet users are coming up with creative ideas, including bringing popular memes to life. AI tools can effectively "revive" historical figures with just a graphic file, making it a straightforward process. The results are astonishing.
A similar technique is used to recreate the appearances of extinct animals. Artificial intelligence handles this task remarkably well, as shown in a video depicting a dinosaur.
As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, we are likely witnessing only the beginning of a significant revolution. Despite its many benefits, the potential threats associated with AI should not be overlooked. Scammers are increasingly exploiting artificial intelligence to achieve their goals, making education and staying updated with technological advancements essential.
