Over a decade ago, the science fiction series Black Mirror showed a story about using artificial intelligence to bring back loved ones. Thanks to technological advancement, the latest AI technology brings hope of recreating loved ones through virtual form.
Recently, it was revealed that renowned musician Tino Bao had created a digital version of his daughter, who in 2021 passed away due to a rare disease at the age of 22. With the help of Xiaoice, Microsoft Asia’s AI branch based in China, Bao was able to recreate his daughter Bao Rong as an AI-powered virtual figure. Tino Bao, his family and the team went to great lengths to piece together pictures, audio-visual recordings, and narrated memories of Rong. After thousands of trials and errors, they presented the life-like digital human who speaks in both Mandarin and English. Bao has finally launched a company to bring the technological miracle to other families experiencing such loss.
However, this technological achievement has also been accompanied by many controversies. The idea of bringing back a loved one through AI may seem comforting. Still, researchers caution that constantly interacting with an AI version of a deceased loved one could potentially affect the natural grieving process, leaving individuals stuck in a state of denial. This could lead to prolonged grief and other mental health issues. Furthermore, there’s a risk that people may become overly dependent on the technology, prioritizing their interactions with the AI version over forming new, real-life relationships.
With the case of Bao Rong out in the open, AI resurrection (复活) has become a business. From simple “talking pictures” that sound nothing like the loved ones to deep fake videos of actors speaking with the faces of those who passed away, the lower end of the market is more “artificial” than “intelligent”. Therefore, it is crucial to establish proper regulations and ethical standards to ensure that the use of AI-resurrection technology is safe and responsible.
【小题1】Why does the author mention Black Mirror?| A．To advertise Microsoft’s virtual products. |
| B．To lead to the discussion about AI resurrection. |
| C．To prove the predictive power of science fiction. |
| D．To highlight the advancement of artificial intelligence. |
| A．The popularity of AI-resurrection technology. |
| B．Reasons for making a digital version of Bao Rong. |
| C．Challenges of developing a life-like digital human. |
| D．The process of creating an AI-powered virtual figure. |
| A．It still has some technical limitations. |
| B．It helps people build new real-life relationships. |
| C．It can be a person’s obstacle to recovering from sadness. |
| D．It enables individuals to preserve good memories of loved ones. |
| A．Strengthen the management of the technology. |
| B．Apply the technology to making pictures and videos. |
| C．Put the technology into the market as soon as possible. |
| D．Educate the public about the potential risks of technology. |
