Artificial intelligence (AI) has multiplied in recent years. It is now used for a new purpose – helping people deal with losing a loved one. A Los Angeles-based software development company called AE Studio is developing a Seance AI program that allows users to talk to a chatbot that mimics their deceased loved ones.
Short Interaction For Emotional Processing
The chatbot is designed to provide closure and emotional processing for those who have lost someone close to them. It’s not intended as a long-term solution. Instead, it offers a short interaction that can assist people in coping with loss. “It’s essentially meant to be a short interaction that can provide a sense of closure. That’s really where the main focus is here,” said Jarren Rocks, product designer and manager at AE Studio.
Also Read: AI Brings Deceased Loved Ones Back to Life
Using OpenAI Technology
The Seance AI program employs OpenAI technology, the same AI lab behind ChatGPT. Users are prompted to enter the name of the person they wish to speak to, their age, personality traits, and how they died. They must also upload text from their deceased loved one as a template for how they communicated when they were alive.
Simulating Conversation with Deceased Persons
Once the user has entered the information, the chatbot simulates a conversation with the deceased loved one based on the data. The webpage takes the user to a flame display and then allows them to send a message to their simulated loved one. The chatbot responds based on the information, making it feel like they are talking to the deceased person.
Magic and Mystical Experience
“We’re trying to make it sound as magical and mystical as possible,” said Rocks of Seance AI’s name. The program has its limitations and doesn’t always sound entirely human. But it still provides a unique experience that can be helpful for those grieving the loss of a loved one. “For short conversations, I think it feels decently human. I think it falls apart a little bit [when you] start to pick up on repetitions,” said Rocks.
Our Say
Digital seances are becoming a new way to emotionally process and deal with grief by talking to deceased loved ones. While this technology may not bring back the dead, it simulates speaking to a lost loved one in a way that can provide closure and comfort. We may see more innovative ways to help humans cope with significant life events as AI develops.
A 23-year-old, pursuing her Master's in English, an avid reader, and a melophile. My all-time favorite quote is by Albus Dumbledore - "Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times if one remembers to turn on the light."
