He has cancer — so he made an AI version of himself for his wife after he dies

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Hi honey, here’s Despacito…

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I’ll never forget the sweet romantic words

Because the conversation is saved in the cloud.

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So it hurts long after his death.

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https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Be_Right_Back

Black Mirror is not an instruction manual, people. Quite the opposite. Can we stop trying to make every episode real?

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If you don't want to do it then don't do it. Can we stop trying to tell everyone else they have to have the same values as you?

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This was my first thought. How bout let’s not try to recreate the dystopian fictional TV show.

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Maybe they were inspired Mulholland Drive instead.

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We’re not “trying to make every episode real”. Technology’s direction and human foibles are predictable. Black Mirror writers just aren’t blind and have a good sense of what’s coming down the pipeline.

That’s why it’s called Mirror. It’s about showing us who we are.

Sorry if that’s too horrifying for you, but this goes way beyond imitating the last person to mention these problems.

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My wife is fortunately still alive so maybe that colours my view. However when I've lost other people the blessed anaesthesia of forgetting has been essential in being able to function.

From the short quote it seems like she maybe has a healthy-ish attitude but idk... I feel like this would be a shallow simulacrum that prolongs grief.

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I don’t believe humans are meant to manage loss in this way — stretching out an imitation of our loved one. As painful as it is, I personally believe humans need to say goodbye. I feel this gets in the way of feeling and truly accepting the loss so that a person can move forward.

Loss is truly heavy, but I do not believe this is better or healthy.

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- My sister has hundreds of YouTube videos she used to help her students learn between music lessons. It will be two years soon since she died, I haven't been able to watch even one.
  
  I like to remember her in my mind, it hurts less than seeing her when she was alive.
  
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- Yeah. I am not a Buddhist but I've always found something rings true in the reflections on impermanence. When we bond with someone we accept the pain of loss, and when we feel it most people seem to describe relief once able to "let go" an accept it being over.
  
  It seems to me that encouraging clinging and reminiscening stunts you a bit and only really provides temporary relief of the loss while drawing out the time it takes to process it.
  
  Idk though, maybe I'll have the misfortune to feel differently some day. It's hard to judge someone hanging out with their spouse watching death creep closer each day. I have approximately zero idea what my opinions would be in the face of that.
  
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- People who can't get over someone losing will sorrow for the rest of the life, or until they get over it. And AI won't help to get over it. Death is part of our life and as soon as you don't accept it, it becomes pain.
  
  It's last year I think when I read someone created the lost son (or some other family member, I forgot) of a mother, in a VR environment. And she could see him/her again in the VR. Absolutely madness! What does this do to the person? Now couple that with an AI... man the future is grim...
  
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- I tried things like character AI to play with talking to "celebrities". It was novel, it was fun. For about 15 minutes. Then... Eh. It's not the person, and your brain knows it's not them. It's always an imitation. I got bored talking with people I've always wanted to talk to.
  
  I can't imagine it being a lived one who has passed. It would feel hollow, empty, and wouldn't make the pain leave. Idk, it just wouldn't be good at all
  
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- I don't believe humans are "meant" to do anything. We are a result of evolution, not intentional design. So I believe humans should do whatever they personally want to do in a situation like this.
  
  If you have a loved one who does this and you don't feel comfortable interacting with their AI version, then don't interact with their AI version. That's on you. But don't belittle them for having preferences different from your own. Different people want different things and deal with death in different ways.
  
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- Yes. Nothing about this idea sounds like a good idea. Honestly I’m kind of pissed at the dude for saddling his wife with this gift.
  
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One of my colleagues has something along the lines of superior autobiographical recall. He remembers in great detail major and minor events from childhood to today. It's difficult for him to forget.

I myself have forgotten long stretches of my life, and even looking at pictures of myself from those times it feels unfamiliar.

There are some things that I wish I could remember better, but overall I prefer my forgetful brain to his never forget brain.

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- I’ve got that biographical detail and it’s kind of weird being able to remember times with my friends that they can’t remember.
  
  Just feels lonely. Like imagine being the only person who can remember more than an hour ago. How your life would feel different than those living within that 1-hour window.
  
  It’s like that just with a different scale.
  
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He posted online, telling his friends it was time to say goodbye. Then his friend called him up, saying he had an opportunity at his company Eternos.Life for Bommer to build an interactive AI version of himself.

It doesn't get more tech bro than that

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But in this case it seems like an entirely good thing? The offer was made by an actual friend, the guy himself wanted this, his wife too, and they're both pretty cognizant about what this is and isn't.

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- Yeah contrary to all the negativity about this in this thread, I think there's a lot of worthwhile reasons for this that aren't centered on fawning over the loss of a love one. Think of how many family recipes could be preserved. Think of the stories that you can be retold in 10 years. Think of the little things that you'd easily forget as time passes. These are all ways of keeping someone with us without making their death the main focus.
  
  Yes, death and moving on are a part of life, we also always say to keep people alive in our hearts. I think there are plenty of ways to keep people around us alive without having them present, I don't think an AI version of someone is inherently keeping your spirit from continuing on, nor is it inherently keeping your loved one from living in the moment.
  
  Also I can't help but think of the Star Trek computer but with this. When I was young I had a close gaming friend who we lost too soon, he was very much an announcer personality. He would have been perfect for being my voice assistant, and would have thought it to be hilarious.
  
  Anyway, I definitely see plenty of downsides, don't get me wrong. The potential for someone to wallow with this is high. I also think there's quite a few upsides as mentioned -- they aren't ephemeral, but I think it's somewhat fair to pick and choose good memories to pass down to remember. Quite a few old philosophical advents coming to fruition with tech these days.
  
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- and they're both pretty cognizant about what this is and isn't
  
  This will be communicating with a dead person. Nobody has any idea what this and what it isn’t.
  
  It’s like planning to go to Morocco and thinking you know in advance what it’s gonna be like.
  
  This is new technology. People who think they know the outcomes here are deluding themselves.
  
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Transcendence and Black mirror both ended really well. Keep at it. T200's next.

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The only news I care to hear about people wealthy enough to throw away others' year's salary for trends like this... is if and when they get punted square in the nuts.

So far, it's been slow news on that front.

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literally the plot of Caprica

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Sadly, no one knows the plot of Caprica because we're the only two people in the world who watched it. It's impressive how well BSG was received and is remembered and most people don't even know Caprica exists.

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- it is a shame. i wished they were able to make another season but i guess just for the 2 of us it wouldnt have made much sense!
  
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It made me think of this old Michael Keaton movie, "My Life", in which he leaves a treasure trove of video tapes to his unborn child.

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Guy going full on pantheon .

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Ugh the brain "scan" though. I think that's bs. At least in the show, not sure about the short story.

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Yeah that seems healthy

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And my wife said, 'Hey, one of the things I will miss most is being able to come to you, ask you a question, and you will sit there and calmly explain the world to me,'" he said.

Then his friend called him up, saying he had an opportunity at his company Eternos.Life for Bommer to build an interactive AI version of himself.

You're reading the Consider This newsletter, which unpacks one major news story each day.

AI has access to all sorts of knowledge, but his wife only wants to ask it questions that only Bommer would know the answers to.

Normally, uploading this information would take weeks or months, but Bommer needed to put it together in just a few days.

But when thinking about what questions she might end up asking this tool, once Bommer dies: "I assume perhaps to read me a poem.

Saved 72% of original text.

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Why not make an Ai that can look for a cure to his cancer?

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