Digital resurrection through Artificial Intelligence(AI) refers to using data of a deceased’s characteristics, such as their photos and recordings, to train virtual programs to behave and act like them. This results in a program that can mimic the dead and allow them to cheer on as the person who resurrected them plays a game on 7Slots.
This may sound unrealistic, but technological advancements have made it possible. Therein lies the numerous morality arguments, as people disagree on whether this pushes the realms of technology into realms that should be left alone. This argument becomes even more opinionated when discussing the resurrection of historical figures through AI.
The Ethics of Digital Resurrection
This practice has become prevalent in developed countries, with countries like China leading the way. There are numerous instances of relatives who have passed away reviving. This ranges from parents to siblings and even famous people. The Chinese market has positively embraced this revival, leading to several companies developing relevant AI programs to set up, collect data, and have one’s deceased relatives return.
Ethical Dangers of Digital Resurrection
Digital resurrection brings with it several ethical questions and dangers. Let’s explore the main ones in more detail.
May Be Offensive
In China, a famous singer was revived without the consent of his family. They found the video offensive as it took them to a person they had lost and would never see again.
The pain of relieving his life by hearing his artificially generated voice and seeing his images was too much for them to bear. They ultimately demanded that the video be taken down from the program.
Risk of Addiction
Some people find it hard to move on with their lives upon the death of a loved one. Once they get an opportunity to bring back the person digitally, they become so fixated on talking to the image that their whole lives revolve around it. They become addicted to talking to this virtual image and even end up spending significant amounts of money to keep it around and in contact with them.
Minimal Government Control
It is not in dispute that the law is always catching up with technological advancements. To date, there is still enough control and regulations over the developments in AI. Yet, there are already new developments in the form of digital humans. As much as the government is trying to ensure the sector is properly regulated, it is difficult to prosecute and regulate a sector that most people in the justice system need help understanding. Furthermore, most issues that would pose a challenge are moral dilemmas that the law usually does not interfere with.
Privacy and Consent
There is no way to seek consent from the dead to use their data when creating these computer-generated humans. Their privacy is also violated, as they have no control over what the program creator has access to and what they will do with that data.
Thus, the issue of violating the dead comes up. Perhaps that person you are so keen on seeing again would not want to be portrayed on a screen that is controlled by forces beyond them.
Benefits from Digital Rebirth
Of course, humanity should also appreciate the advantages of the so-called digital rebirth, which modern technologies can give us.
Sense of Closure
People can use the virtual images of their deceased relatives as an opportunity to talk to them one more time and say anything they felt they never got a chance to say when the person was alive. This could be an essential message they were too scared to tell. It is a way to accept that their loved one is gone, and they can now move on.
Way to Relive the Past
Sometime back, a hologram of Tupac was presented at a concert, and people were so happy to see it. The image created debate online, with people wondering whether the famous rapper had returned from the dead as the picture was so realistic. Such interactions are good for bringing back memories of historical figures that impacted people’s lives. It helps people to stop and appreciate where they have come from. Imagine if you had the opportunity to hear Martin Luther King’s speech in a voice and image that is so realistically him or attended a concert by Michael Jackson or Whitney Houston.
Advancements in AI are here to stay. If anything, they are just beginning and will continue changing and affecting human life. The best you can do is adopt progressively so that you are not left behind. In the end, you will have to decide what to embrace and participate in and what is not suitable for you, and you can ignore it. Developers should also stick to the rules of morality and democracy that are accepted worldwide.
