Family In China Creates AI Clone To Keep Son Alive For Elderly Mother

In a deeply emotional and unusual case from China, a family turned to artificial intelligence to cope with the loss of a loved one after a tragic road accident. The effort was aimed at protecting an elderly mother from the shock of her only son's death. The man died in a traffic accident last year. His family, based in Shandong province, decided to hide the news from his mother, who is in her 80s and suffers from heart disease, reported the South China Morning Post.

To carry out this plan, the man's son contacted Zhang Zewei, an AI expert living in Jiangsu Province. The family provided Zhang with numerous photos, videos, and audio recordings of the deceased, including samples of his local dialect, to create a digital avatar.

This AI-generated digital version closely resembles the deceased and even replicates his habit of leaning forward while speaking. This virtual version now interacts with the elderly mother daily via video call via a chat app.

During these conversations, the mother constantly expresses her love and concern. In one conversation, she asks her "son" to call her frequently to check on her wellness in another city, and also says that she misses him deeply.

The AI "son" replies that he's busy at work and can't talk for long. He asks them to take care of themselves and tells them that when he earns enough money, he'll return home and fulfill his duties.

According to the report, the mother is still unaware of her son's death. It also states that no further information has been shared about the family.