DIGITAL LIFE

AI ‘resurrects’ and ‘clones’ in China

There is an emerging market in China for deepfakes that “clone” people. On the one hand, companies sell replicas generated with artificial intelligence (AI) of living people and public figures. On the other, companies adapted technology to “resurrect” loved ones.

Chinese companies sell artificial intelligence (AI)-generated replicas of living and deceased people. Companies exploit the cultural demand for communication with deceased loved ones by creating realistic avatars for virtual dialogues;

While the practice of “resurrecting” deceased people with AI reflects Chinese cultural traditions, the “cloning” of public figures serves for recreations at events, for example;

With more than two thousand customers, the AI “cloning” service has gained popularity in China, costing from a few hundred to thousands of dollars, as people seek digital comfort in grief or to preserve legacies for future interactions;

The rapid evolution of this technology in China raises ethical questions about consent, privacy and copyright infringement. It also challenges the need for regulation as these practices expand globally.

In the case of communicating with the dead, the modern practice through AI reflects an extension of Chinese cultural traditions of holding conversations with deceased loved ones.

Chinese companies have explored this cultural need, developing realistic avatars that enable virtual dialogues with deceased people. And charging anywhere from a few hundred to thousands of dollars for the service.

Currently, two Chinese companies dominate this market niche, serving more than two thousand customers, according to MIT Technology Review.

This service has grown in popularity as people seek digital comfort in the grieving process. In this case, technology helps to preserve a kind of connection with deceased loved ones.

In addition to this personal use, digital cloning technology applies to historical public figures. For example, Silicon Intelligence, one of the leaders in this market, used the technology to digitally recreate Mei Lanfang, a Peking opera legend who died in 1961, for a festival performance in 2023.

The trend of cloning oneself while still alive has also gained popularity. Many see this as an opportunity to preserve their memories and legacy while allowing for future digital interactions with their replicas.

This process is seen by some as a modern extension of photo shoots, but with the ability to capture and reproduce the person's image, voice and behavior.

Evolution of deepfakes in China raises ethical questions...The technology behind the “digital cloning” of both the living and the dead is essentially the same. With an already established market in China, it is likely that these companies will continue to expand their offerings and explore new uses for deepfake technology.

However, these advances also raise significant ethical questions. Consent and privacy concerns, as well as potential copyright infringements, are crucial aspects that need to be carefully considered as this technology evolves and becomes more popular globally.

mundophone