Sorry I missed your call: Voicemails can hog a surprising amount of space on your phone. Delete any you don’t care about. If you have voicemails you can’t bear to delete, like from loved ones, save them.
Life after death: AI chatbots bringing lost loved ones back
This weekend on my national radio show, I’m chatting with the co-founder and CEO of a company called StoryFile Life, Stephen Smith. I couldn’t wait to tell you more about what they’re doing — and the other companies doing something similar.
In a nutshell, they’re using tech to preserve memories. Stephen has an AI version of his mom, who passed away. Thousands of customers have AI versions of their loved ones.
StoryFile and others can bring comfort to the grieving — but they’re leaving some people unsettled. I wanted to get a deeper look, and now you can, too.
We are so back
Founded in 2017 (ancient history in tech time), StoryFile offers a couple of different options to immortalize loved ones while they’re still Earthside.
At the basic level, a laptop and webcam capture their image and likeness in an interview-style fashion — by an actual historian for an extra fee. StoryFile’s AI uses the material to create a digital persona. Today, around 5,000 people have created profiles.
Loved ones can ask the persona a question, and then the system sifts through corresponding interview clips to find an intuitive response. Just imagine that for a second about a loved one you miss.
Another company, HereAfter AI, came along in 2019 and added an element: Interactive videos where subjects make eye contact, breathe and blink as they respond to questions. Super lifelike … but also surreal.
Legends live on
You might be thinking, “So, who’s doing this?” Really, folks from all walks of life.
Lynne Nieto, founder of the company Life Fitness, created a StoryFile before her husband passed away from Lou Gehrig’s disease. She did it mainly for their grandchildren. She watched the file for the first time about six months after he died. Lynne says it was a little hard to watch and it felt a bit raw.
I’m not surprised to hear that. I don’t know exactly how I’d feel about seeing my Mom or Dad again, but I’m pretty sure it’d be overwhelming.
Science says taking selfies is good for you
It’s easy to hate on selfies and think they’re only for the self-obsessed. But a study from the University of Ohio and the University of Tubingen in Germany shows selfies can be more than just a way to show off your looks.
7 clever uses for your smart doorbell camera
Smart doorbell cameras add a ton of value to your life. Not only do they make you feel more secure in your home, but they can deter criminals, too. If you let a burglar know you’re watching them, they may be too spooked to try anything.
Don’t stop “bereaving”: “Griefbots” resurrect loved ones by using AI for conversations and company, but researchers say they do more psychological harm than good. Remember, Psalm 23:4 says you have to “walk through the valley of the shadow of death.” You can’t walk around it, especially with AI.
Careful what you post: Criminals are crawling social media accounts for videos of folks talking. Just 10 seconds is enough for AI tools to rip off your voice to scam loved ones and break into voice-authorized accounts. Come up with a safeword with your family to use if they ever get a distressed-sounding call from “you.”