The guy used AI to "resurrect" grandma, and netizens quarreled

Recently, a video on the Internet caused great controversy, in which a guy used AI technology to "resurrect" his deceased grandmother, and also made a video call with "grandma". With the blessing of scientific and technological means, this "grandmother" has a very natural voice and tone in addition to a slightly stiff expression. Some netizens said that they cried and missed their deceased relatives; Some netizens marveled at the development of science and technology today; Some netizens believe that the so-called "grandma" is just a cold piece of code and does not have much practical meaning; More netizens are worried that this set of AI technology is used for illegal purposes... Psychology experts told the Yangtze Evening News/Purple Cow News reporter that "resurrecting" the deceased through AI can alleviate the sequelae after bereavement to a certain extent, but it must be moderate and cannot be addicted to the virtual world. Later, the reporter interviewed the video author Xiao Liang and listened to him tell the story of AI "resurrecting" grandma.

Xiao Liang uses an AI program

There's still a lot of things he didn't say to her, and the guy used AI to "resurrect" grandma

UP master Xiaoliang told reporters that using AI to "resurrect" grandma is because he can't accept grandma's sudden departure, "In just half a month, the first few days are still chatting with grandma about the future, and then grandma can only communicate simply, and in the next few days she was pushed into the ICU (intensive care unit) and can't see her, and finally grandma becomes a handful of ash in the box..." Xiaoliang said that all this came too suddenly, and for a long time, he felt that his grandma left.

"After dealing with my grandmother, I would habitually call my grandmother, but no one replied from the other end." Xiao Liang was brought up by his grandmother since he was a child, and his relationship with his grandmother is very deep, "I used to tell my grandma when I encountered something, and now I don't know who to talk to, in fact, I still want to talk to my grandmother." Xiao Liang usually works in AI, so he thought of using AI to "resurrect" his grandmother. Xiao Liang imported the photos of his grandmother before her death, made her dynamic avatar, and imported her grandmother's call audio into the AI to train the AI to simulate her grandmother's voice and tone.

In Xiao Liang's video, the AI "grandma" can have a simple conversation with him, such as Xiao Liang asking, "Grandma, did you buy anything for the New Year?" AI "grandma" replied, "I bought two pots of oil, and others squeezed them very fragrantly, 75 yuan a pot." The second half of the video is Xiao Liang's "self-talk", he tells "grandma" that he has recently been promoted and raised, and he has bought many clothes, so he doesn't have to worry about himself, and also reminds "grandma" not to always wear patched clothes and don't get cold. Finally, Xiao Liang told "grandma" that he would not come back to eat at night, so that "grandma" did not have to wait for herself.

Xiao Liang told reporters that he knew that he could only give himself a psychological comfort when he did this. He understands that what is presented in front of the screen is always an illusory image, "but how to say, as long as you can look at grandma again, a few more words are good." Xiao Liang introduced that with the current technical level of AI, as long as there are enough samples, the face, voice, and tone can reach a similarity of more than 90%. But at present, AI can only reach 50% of the thinking mode, it cannot think like a human. "Xiao Liang said that this matter is essentially asking AI to be an actor, to play a person, and it can imitate the appearance and voice very well, but at the current scientific level, it cannot imitate a person's soul." My 'grandma' and I can only communicate simply, and if we say complex things, she can't understand it. ”

Xiao Liang chatted with "grandma"

"Virtual Life" Causes Controversy Netizens quarreled

Xiao Liang's video of "resurrecting" his grandmother quickly caused fierce debate among netizens, and some netizens expressed their understanding and support for Xiao Liang. Some netizens said that after his grandfather died, he used his grandfather's photo to make a blink dynamic, although the effect was a little rough, but seeing the grandfather on the photo moved again, his tears fell again. The netizen said, "If you can see the loved one he thinks about day and night reappear on the screen, see him blinking, smiling, and hearing him speak, this in itself is a very gratifying thing for him." ”

Some netizens believe that the so-called "grandma" is just a string of cold code and does not have much practical meaning. "I don't like this, my loved ones feel like a manipulated electronic doll, and you can say whatever you want it to say." "This kind of spiritual sustenance is just deceiving oneself to make up for regret." More netizens are worried that this technology is used for illegal purposes, "In the future, if someone borrows money, the video confirmation is not good." ”

Part of the code for "Grandma"

In recent years, there have been many cases of "resurrection" Psychologists: cherish the present

The Purple Cow News reporter noticed that in recent years, there have been many cases of using scientific and technological means to "resurrect" relatives. In 2020, a South Korean mother wore VR glasses and tactile gloves, re-heard the childish voice of her daughter who had died for three years, "touched" her cute face, and made up for her third birthday, and finally watched her "daughter" turn into a butterfly and disappear into the air; Last year, an algorithm engineer "resurrected" his grandfather with AI, and also apologized to "grandfather", such as not yelling at his grandfather, and "grandfather" forgave him... The reporter noticed that the program made by the algorithm engineer a year ago, after entering the question, the program took dozens of minutes to generate a video of the "grandfather" answering, and from the video released by UP master Xiaoliang, his "grandma" can basically do the same as daily conversations. In the interview, Xiaoliang bluntly said that he used the latest tools, including ChatGPT.

Chen Zhilin, a national second-level psychological counselor, told reporters, "From a psychological point of view, compared with traditional photos, relics and other items, AI technology can use high-tech means to better preserve the voice and smile of deceased relatives, so that people who are suffering from bereavement can be comforted." Not only can it heal the grieving, but it can also allow the departed to be 'preserved' in a more three-dimensional way. Chen Zhilin said that the trauma caused by the departure of relatives is inevitable, and some people will even have depression and anxiety, which will be reduced over time, generally no more than six months. AI can give people some comfort when they are in the most pain, and can alleviate the pain caused by the death of loved ones. However, it must be emphasized that excessive dependence on it must be avoided. Chen Zhilin pointed out that many AI "resurrection" cases are to make up for regrets, but this compensation can only be the self-comfort of the living, "More importantly, we must know how to cherish the present." As the old saying goes, having a car in front of your door is not rich..."

Intern Yuan Xianwen

Yangtze Evening News/Purple Cow News reporter Jiang Tiansheng

Proofreader Faye Wong